Edward O. Wilson Jr. (Photograph by John Chase/Harvard. Reproduced by permission.)

Edward Osborne Wilson was born on June 10, 1929, in Birmingham, Alabama, and is one of the foremost authorities on the ecology, systematics, and evolution of the ant.

Wilson developed an interest in nature and the outdoors at an early age. Growing up in rural, south Alabama, near the border of Florida, young Wilson earned the nickname "Snake" Wilson by having collected most of the 40 snake species found in that part of the country. He began studying ants after an accident impaired his vision and has been studying them for over 50 years, having progressed from amateur to expert with relative swiftness. His formal training in the biological sciences resulted in his receiving the Bachelor of Science degree in...