Biologist

Explore 58 quotes by Biologists

There is grandeur in this view of life...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species

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Topic

Human evolution Creation of man Evolution Human origins

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species. London: John Murray, 1859, ch. 14.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of the Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin, 2009, ch. 14.

Man with all his noble qualities, with sympathy which feels for the most debased, with benevolence which extends not only to other men but to the humblest living creature, with his god-like intellect which has penetrated into the movements and constitution of the solar system—with all these exalted powers—Man still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin.

Charles Darwin

The Descent of Man

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Topic

Human origins Human nature Human evolution Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

The Descent of Man

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1871 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray, 1871, pt. 3, ch. 21.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man. Penguin Classics, 2004, pt. 3, ch. 21.

I have called this principle, by which each slight variation, if useful, is preserved, by the term of Natural Selection.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of the Species

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Topic

Natural selection Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of the Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of the Species. London: John Murray, 1859, ch. 3.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of the Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin, 2009, ch. 3.

We had found the secret of life!

Francis Crick

On the discovery of the structure of DNA in 1953.

More information about this quote

Topic

DNA Genetics Biology

Author

Francis Crick

Source

The Double Helix

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1968 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Crick, Frances. Quoted in The Double Helix, by James D. Watson. Atheneum Press/Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1968, ch. 26.

We thus learn that man is descended from a hairy, tailed quadruped, probably arboreal in its habits, and an inhabitant of the Old World.

Charles Darwin

The Descent of Man

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Topic

Human origins Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

The Descent of Man

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1871 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray, 1871, pt. 3, ch. 21.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man. Penguin Classics, 2004, pt. 3, ch. 21.

When the views advanced by me in this volume, and by Mr. Wallace, or when analogous views on the origin of species are generally admitted, we can dimly foresee that there will be a considerable revolution in natural history.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species

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Topic

Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Statement Type

Prophecies and predictions

Language

English

Time

1879 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species. 6th Edition. London: John Murray, 1879, ch. 14.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of the Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin, 2009, ch. 14.

Owing to this struggle for life, any variation, however slight and from whatever cause proceeding, if it be in any degree profitable to an individual of any species, in its infinitely complex relations to other organic beings and to external nature, will tend to the preservation of that individual, and will generally be inherited by its offspring. The offspring, also, will thus have a better chance of surviving.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species

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Topic

Natural selection Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species. London: John Murray, 1859, ch. 3.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin Classics, 2009, ch. 3.

We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.

Richard Dawkins

More information about this quote

Topic

Atheism

Author

Richard Dawkins

Language

English

Time

1999 1990s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Dawkins, Richard. "Snake Oil and Holy Water." Forbes ASAP, 4 Oct. 1999.

Males do not represent two discrete populations, heterosexual and homosexual. The world is not to be divided into sheep and goats. Not all things are black nor all things white. It is a fundamental of taxonomy that nature rarely deals with discrete categories. Only the human mind invents categories and tries to force facts into separated pigeon-holes. The living world is a continuum in each and every one of its aspects. The sooner we learn this concerning human sexual behavior the sooner we shall reach a sound understanding of the realities of sex.

Alfred C. Kinsey

Sexual Behavior in the Human Male

More information about this quote

Topic

Sexuality

Author

Alfred C. Kinsey

Source

Sexual Behavior in the Human Male

Language

English

Time

1948 1940s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Kinsey, Alfred C. Sexual Behavior in the Human Male. W. B. Saunders Co., 1948, ch. 21.

The Creator, if He exists, has a special preference for beetles.

J.B.S. Haldane

Reflection on the fact that there are 400,000 species of beetles, as opposed to 8,000 species of mammals.

More information about this quote

Topic

Nature of God God and nature

Speaker

J.B.S. Haldane

Medium

Speech

Language

English

Time

1951 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Haldane, J. B. S. Speech given to the British Interplanetary Society. 1951, London, England, UK.

FIRST LAW: In every animal... A more frequent and continuous use of any organ gradually strengthens, develops and enlarges that organ... While the permanent disuse of any organ imperceptibly weakens and deteriorates it, and progressively diminishes its functional capacity, until it finally disappears.
SECOND LAW: All the acquisitions or losses wrought by nature in individuals... Are preserved by reproductions to the new individuals which arise.

Jean-Baptiste Lamark

Philosophie Zoologique

More information about this quote

Topic

Evolution

Author

Jean-Baptiste Lamark

Source

Philosophie Zoologique

Language

French

Time

1809 1800s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Lamarck, Jean-Baptiste. Philosophie zoologique [Zoological Philosophy]. Paris: Musee d'Histoire Naturelle, 1809, pt. 1, ch. 7.

Current Citation

Lamarck, Jean-Baptiste. Zoological Philosophy, translated by Hugh Samuel Roger Elliott. Cambridge University Press, 2011, pt. 1, ch. 7.

The shield may be as important for victory, as the sword or spear.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species

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Topic

Survival Natural selection

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of the Species. London: John Murray, 1859, ch. 4.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of the Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin, 2009, ch. 4.

The great end of life is not knowledge but action.

T.H. Huxley

More information about this quote

Topic

Taking action

Speaker

T.H. Huxley

Medium

Speech

Language

English

Time

1877 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Huxley, Thomas Henry. "Technical Education." Working Men's Club and Institute Union meeting. 1 Dec. 1877, London, England, UK.

From the war of nature, from famine and death, the most exalted object which we are capable of conceiving, namely, the production of the higher animals, directly follows.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species

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Topic

Natural selection Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species. London: John Murray, 1859, ch. 14.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of the Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin, 2009, ch. 14.

If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down. But I can find out no such case.

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species

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Topic

Natural selection Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

On the Origin of Species

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species. London: John Murray, 1859, ch. 6.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Origin of the Species, edited by William Bynum. Penguin, 2009, ch. 6.

The Simiadae then branched off into two great stems, the New World and Old World monkeys; and from the latter, at a remote period, Man, the wonder and glory of the Universe, proceeded.

Charles Darwin

The Descent of Man

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Topic

Human origins Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

The Descent of Man

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1871 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray, 1871, pt. 2, ch. 6.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man. Penguin Classics, 2004, pt. 2, ch. 6.

Both in space and time, we seem to be brought somewhat near to that great fact—that mystery of mysteries—the first appearance of new beings on this earth.

Charles Darwin

The Voyage of the Beagle

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Topic

Origin of life

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

The Voyage of the Beagle

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1835 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. Journal entry. 8 Oct. 1835.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. "The Voyage of the Beagle." The Origin of Species and The Voyage of the Beagle. Everyman's Library, 2003, ch. 17.

Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.

Charles Darwin

The Descent of Man

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Topic

Ignorance Science

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

The Descent of Man

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1871 1870s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray, 1871, introduction.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man. Penguin Classics, 2004, introduction.

What a book a Devil's chaplain might write on the clumsy, wasteful, blundering low, & horridly cruel works of nature!

Charles Darwin

More information about this quote

Topic

Nature Evolution

Author

Charles Darwin

Source

Letters of Charles Darwin

Medium

Letter

Language

English

Time

1856 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Darwin, Charles. Letter to J. D. Hooker. 13 July 1856.

Current Citation

Darwin, Charles. "To J. D. Hooker, 13 July 1856." The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, edited by Frederick Burkhardt and James A. Secord. Vol. 6: 1856-1857. Cambridge University Press, 1990, no. 1924.

The essence of life is statistical improbability on a colossal scale.

Richard Dawkins

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More information about this quote

Topic

Nature of life Biological life

Author

Richard Dawkins

Source

The Blind Watchmaker

Genre

Scientific literature

Language

English

Time

1986 1980s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Dawkins, Richard. The Blind Watchmaker. Norton & Company, 1986, ch. 11.