The Future of Life

Edward O. Wilson (born 1929) is an American biologist, naturalist, and writer who focused his career on the study of ants, on which he was a leading authority, and on advocating for the conservation of nature. He won the Pulitzer Prize twice for general nonfiction. The Future of Life is one of his many books that deal with biodiversity.

Wilson’s interest in microfauna—as a biologist who dedicated his career to the study of ants—is evident throughout the book. At several points, Wilson advocates for the consideration of micro-wildernesses (those populated by microbes, fungi, and invertebrates), both as a source of wonder, for their diversity and complexity, and as environments that also need preservation, in addition to the larger ecosystems people typically consider when thinking about conservation. In this way, Wilson is bringing his unique perspective, as someone who’s thought deeply about some of the smallest forms of life, to bear on the question of how to preserve biodiversity and conserve nature. His experience helps him make a broader case for the preservation of biodiversity, and not simply the charismatic species that typify nature in many people’s imaginations.

In discussing the viewpoints of people on both sides of the debate over conservation, and in describing some of the possible solutions to biodiversity loss, Wilson brings his long career, and his stature among those working for the advancement of conservation goals, to his writing, characterizing the stereotypes that supporters of a people-first ethic have of environmentalists, and vice versa.