JW

Jonathan Weiner

10quotes

Jonathan Weiner


Full Name and Common Aliases


Jonathan Weiner is a renowned American science writer, author, and journalist.

Birth and Death Dates


Born on October 6, 1957, in Brooklyn, New York. No information available regarding his date of death.

Nationality and Profession(s)


Weiner's nationality is American, and he has worked as a science writer, author, and journalist throughout his career.

Early Life and Background


Jonathan Weiner grew up in New Jersey with an early fascination for science and writing. He was raised by parents who encouraged his interests, which ultimately led him to pursue a degree in biology at the University of Michigan. However, he soon shifted his focus towards creative writing and eventually earned a master's degree from Columbia University.

Major Accomplishments


Weiner has achieved numerous accolades for his work as a science writer and author. Notably, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1995 for his book The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Time. This critically acclaimed work explores the evolutionary processes observed in the Galapagos Islands through the adaptation of finches' beaks to varying environments.

Notable Works or Actions


Throughout his career, Weiner has written extensively on science and environmental topics for various publications. Some notable works include:

The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Time (1994) - a Pulitzer Prize-winning book about evolution.
 The Next 100 Years: History's Greatest Predictions for the New Century (2000) - an exploration of predictions and their impact on society.
* Time, Love, Memory: A Great Biologist and His Quest for the Origins of Behavior (1999) - a biography about biologist Donald Hebb.

Impact and Legacy


Jonathan Weiner's contributions to science writing have had a lasting impact. His ability to convey complex scientific concepts in an engaging manner has inspired countless readers. As a journalist, he has also played a role in shaping public discourse on science-related issues.

Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered


Weiner is widely quoted and remembered for his exceptional storytelling abilities, particularly when it comes to science and environmental topics. His ability to balance scientific accuracy with engaging narrative has earned him recognition within the scientific community as well as among readers.

Quotes by Jonathan Weiner

The first man and woman knew it all; they had “pure and uncorrupted natural knowledge,” before they tasted the forbidden fruit and were thrown out of Paradise. Adam and Eve enjoyed not only perfect knowledge but perfect power; and there was no death in the world. Once we recover what our First Parents knew, we will conquer death again.
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The first man and woman knew it all; they had “pure and uncorrupted natural knowledge,” before they tasted the forbidden fruit and were thrown out of Paradise. Adam and Eve enjoyed not only perfect knowledge but perfect power; and there was no death in the world. Once we recover what our First Parents knew, we will conquer death again.
JW
Cactus finches do more with cactus than Plains Indians did with buffalo. They nest in cactus; they sleep in cactus; they often copulate in cactus; they drink cactus nectar; they eat cactus flowers, cactus pollen, and cactus seeds. In return they pollinate the cactus, like bees.
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Cactus finches do more with cactus than Plains Indians did with buffalo. They nest in cactus; they sleep in cactus; they often copulate in cactus; they drink cactus nectar; they eat cactus flowers, cactus pollen, and cactus seeds. In return they pollinate the cactus, like bees.
JW
As an instrument of planetary home repair, it is hard to imagine anything as safe as a tree.
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As an instrument of planetary home repair, it is hard to imagine anything as safe as a tree.
JW
To know your organism, you must eat it.’ Not just the flies: the pupae. And not just to horrify people, but to know.
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To know your organism, you must eat it.’ Not just the flies: the pupae. And not just to horrify people, but to know.
JW
Peter suspects that the caltrop is evolving in response to the finches. Where the struggle for existence is fierce, the caltrop that is likeliest to succeed is the plant that puts more energy into spines and less into seeds; but in the safer, more secluded spot, the fittest plants are the ones that put more energy into making seeds and less energy into protecting them. The finches may be driving the evolution of caltrop while caltrop is driving the evolution of the finches.
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Peter suspects that the caltrop is evolving in response to the finches. Where the struggle for existence is fierce, the caltrop that is likeliest to succeed is the plant that puts more energy into spines and less into seeds; but in the safer, more secluded spot, the fittest plants are the ones that put more energy into making seeds and less energy into protecting them. The finches may be driving the evolution of caltrop while caltrop is driving the evolution of the finches.
JW
Darwin argues, essentially, that all the sophistications we see in the eagle’s or the human’s eye could have arisen gradually, by stages, across geological spans of time, each stage conferring somewhat clearer vision than the one before.
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Darwin argues, essentially, that all the sophistications we see in the eagle’s or the human’s eye could have arisen gradually, by stages, across geological spans of time, each stage conferring somewhat clearer vision than the one before.
JW
The lucky individual that finds a different seed, or nook, or niche, will fly up and out from beneath the Sisyphean rock of competition. It will tend to flourish and so will its descendants – that is, those that inherit the lucky character that had set it a little apart. Individuals that diverge from the madding crowd will tend to prosper, while the rest will be ground down.
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The lucky individual that finds a different seed, or nook, or niche, will fly up and out from beneath the Sisyphean rock of competition. It will tend to flourish and so will its descendants – that is, those that inherit the lucky character that had set it a little apart. Individuals that diverge from the madding crowd will tend to prosper, while the rest will be ground down.
JW
Some men by unalterable frame of their constitution are stout, others timorous, some confident, others modest and tractable.
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Some men by unalterable frame of their constitution are stout, others timorous, some confident, others modest and tractable.
JW
It’s almost as if each instant is our last and first. We are always dying, and always reborn. And that is living.
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It’s almost as if each instant is our last and first. We are always dying, and always reborn. And that is living.
JW
It's almost as if each instant is our last and first. We are always dying, and always reborn. And that is living.
"
It's almost as if each instant is our last and first. We are always dying, and always reborn. And that is living.
JW
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