20th-21st century · Paleontology, Evolutionary theory, History of science
Stephen Jay Gould (1941-2002) was an American paleontologist, evolutionary biologist, and historian of science. He spent most of his career at Harvard University and the American Museum of Natural History, becoming one of the most influential and widely read science writers of his generation. He is best known for his theory of punctuated equilibrium (developed with Niles Eldredge), his critique of adaptationism and sociobiology, and his prolific essays on natural history and the history of science.