Alfred Russel Wallace

Alfred Russel Wallace in Singapore in 1862

Alfred Russel Wallace was the epitome of the Victorian explorer and scientist who spent many years gathering specimens in the jungles of Brazil and modern-day Indonesia and Malaysia for wealthy collectors in England.

These collecting expeditions provided crucial groundwork for Wallace’s research into theories of natural selection and the origin of species – major topics being investigated by leading scientists in Britain at the time.

Although Wallace did not have much of a scientific education – he left school at the age of 14 – he was a superb observer of nature, first as a land surveyor and then as a professional specimen collector.

Wallace’s lack of education, social connections or personal wealth meant he operated only on the fringes of the scientific community. Working from remote jungle locations, he wrote several small articles for academic journals before penning his first major contribution in 1855 which became known as the Sarawak Law.

His thinking may have been brilliant and his writing style concise, but the Sarawak Law (which laid the foundations for his revolutionary theory on the origin of the species two years later) was ignored by the entire academic community. Wallace was dismissed in whispered voices as 'a mere fly-catcher'.

When Wallace finally produced his ground-breaking work on evolution ahead of Charles Darwin, the well-established supporters of Darwin ensured Wallace was pushed to the sidelines and credited Darwin with coming up with the concept first.

Alfred Russel Wallace

click here for Essential Background Information...