Huxley

HUXLEY, Thomas Henry (Thomas Henry Huxley, 1825-95), one of the most popular English scientists of the 19th century, a brilliant defender and popularizer of Darwinian theory, a major researcher in the field of comparative anatomy, paleontology, and morphology, an excellent lecturer and talented writer. Huxley began his career as a naturalist on board a naval ship, participating in a four-year expedition of the frigate "Rattlesnake," which cruised in the waters of the Pacific Ocean and off the coast of Australia. His works on transparent marine animals attracted general attention. Invited to give lectures on natural sciences at the Mining School in London, Huxley turned to paleontology, on which he gave many valuable works. His excellent lectures on biology for workers became very popular, which he published as a separate book (Russian edition - "On the Causes of Phenomena in the Organic World", M.-L., 1927). The appearance of Darwin's book "On the Origin of Species" made Huxley a fervent defender of this theory. H. spoke for it in newspaper articles and debates, in popular lectures and in scientific articles and works. He was the first to extend the theory of evolution to man, defending the view that anthropoid apes are structurally closer to man than to other apes. H. took an active part in the scientific and public life of England. He was an active member, and at one time president, of the Royal Society of London and professor in several schools, where he reformed the teaching of biological sciences. H. contributed to the spread of views on the great importance of biological sciences in the general education and upbringing of man.