E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation

Approaching the August 1 submission deadline for the 2024 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award, our team caught up with Florence Williams, whose memoir, Heartbreak, won the award in 2023. Our conversation covered topics including biophilia, Williams' other works, and finding purpose in nature.

When Williams experienced grief and loneliness, she felt emotional pain in her physical body in a way that initially surprised her. So, she took it upon herself to search for answers.

Trained as a journalist, Williams combines her investigative instinct with deep scientific inquiry, undertaking a personal journey to overcome heartbreak through beauty, purpose, agency, and awe.

If you or anyone you know has created a work that exemplifies literary excellence on the subject of the physical or biological sciences and communicates complex scientific concepts to a lay audience, submissions for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award will remain open at this link until August 1: https://pen.org/pen-eo-wilson-prize-literary-science-writing/

In E.O. Wilson’s 2016 book Half-Earth, he proposed, “Only by committing half of the planet’s surface to nature can we hope to save the immensity of life-forms that compose it.”

"Which half?" is a question we must continually answer by using up-to-date geospatial information to maximize taxonomic representation in protection efforts.

In the same way that a surgeon can’t do surgery without an intimate knowledge of anatomy and physiology, knowing every single species, and their location, is fundamental to being proper stewards of the planet.

Fantastic guest essay in the New York Times about the decline of a practice that still has so much to teach us: Taxonomy.

As stated in the article, there are approximately 8.7 million plant and animal species in the world — some estimates even put that number closer to 10 million — however, only 1.2 million have been described. Though botanists around the world have consistently discovered around 2,000 new plant species per year for the past three decades, funding is drying up.

What are we leaving on the table by neglecting the field of taxonomy? For one, new plant discoveries could have unique properties in medicine and nutrition. There is also the lost time, exemplified by the three-fourths of new that are classified as endangered. New discoveries can energize conservation efforts in a way that's difficult to otherwise replicate.

And of course, there's our innate responsibility as participants in the complex web of life. Author Robert Langellier touches beautifully elements of Biophilia, stating "the act of naming a plant has always felt like a sort of interspecies intimacy."

Give it a read if you get the chance.

Opinion | To Save Life on Earth, Bring Back Taxonomy Naming species has been a victim of a broad shift in our scientific priorities. But we need it more than ever.

In E.O. Wilson’s 2016 book Half-Earth, he proposed, “Only by committing half of the planet’s surface to nature can we hope to save the immensity of life-forms that compose it.”

With Half-Earth, E.O. Wilson’s intention was to create a “moonshot” goal, a human endeavor that ensured we would leave no species behind. This is not just important conceptually, it’s important inspirationally and scientifically.

The size of a habitat and the number of species it can sustainably support are related by the 4th root. E.O. Wilson and a colleague, Robert MacArthur, an ecologist and mathematician at Princeton University, developed the formula for the Half-Earth calculations, which demonstrated that we can protect approximately 85% of species from extinction if we effectively preserve 50% of habitats.

In order to support these conservation decisions, democratization of data is critical. The Half-Earth Project is mapping the geospatial location of all Earth’s species at a high resolution in order to transform our understanding of the world and inform which places offer the most effective path forward for the protection of endangered species and endangered ecosystems.

Only by coming together around a transcendent goal to protect nature can we stop and reverse the loss of species.

Science + storytelling + mapping, joined seamlessly through Esri’s ArcGIS StoryMaps.

Dennis Liu of our education team, Tamara Rudic of our mapping team, and others came together last year to create a StoryMap on the world’s most effective predators: Dragonflies.

It covers biomechanics, migratory patterns, species distribution of odonates, conservation, and more. And it’s all interactive — one of the many reasons StoryMaps are such incredible tools for educational content.

Check it out below 👇

The Beauty and Diversity of Dragonflies Explore the unique and incredibly diverse world of dragonflies in this StoryMap!

It’s !

While they are majestic, adorable, awe-inspiring, and more — they are also a critical link in marine ecosystems. Per the IUCN Red List, three of the seven sea turtle species are endangered globally, with overexploitation and illegal trade, pollution, habitat loss, and climate change are threats to all sea turtle species.

Thanks to strong advocacy groups and high visibility, many countries have enacted protections for sea turtles, warranting some optimism. However, for sea turtles and any global migratory species, conservation requires data exchange and diplomatic cooperation, which the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation strives to facilitate.

In the meantime, let’s appreciate some sea turtles. Bonus points if you can name all seven!

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Daniel Torobekov / Pexels
azure27014 / iNaturalist
Wexor Tang / Unsplash
Rich Carey / Shutterstock
Grethel Pavon / Shutterstock
glyall / iNaturalist
Kate Sampson / NOAA Fisheries

Edward O. Wilson was born 95 years ago today in Birmingham, Alabama.

Though he is no longer with us, E.O. Wilson’s work lives on — through his friends, through his books, through this foundation, and through the millions of people around the world he inspired.

Join us in celebrating E.O. Wilson’s birthday by honoring his greatest hopes for our planet and uniting with us in common cause to ensure we leave no species behind. 🎂🌍🐜

For all of the magnificent ecological qualities of our oceans, perhaps the most conspicuous is its striking diversity of life, that which we still have so much more to learn about and protect.

So in honor of , we gave our team a chance to spotlight some of their favorite marine species. Share yours below!

📸 Photo credits:
1️⃣ Sonja Ooms / Shutterstock
2️⃣ Erin Donalson / Shutterstock
3️⃣ Richard Whitcombe / Shutterstock
4️⃣ David G Hayes / Shutterstock
5️⃣ Rickard Zerpe / Wikimedia Commons
6️⃣ Valda Butterworth / Shutterstock
7️⃣ Alessio Marrone / Wikimedia Commons
8️⃣ Charles Bergman / Shutterstock
9️⃣ Manuae / Wikimedia Commons
🔟 Lorraine Logan / Shutterstock

It's been said that we know more about the surface of the moon than we do our deep sea. Though the semantics of that aphorism may be up for discussion, it's undeniable just how much of the ocean floor we've yet to discover — and conserve. In honor of World Ocean Week, here's a story that underscores that.

In January, an international party of researchers boarded a Schmidt Ocean Institute for a deep sea expedition off the coasts of Chile and Peru. In less than a month, they'd documented over 100 new species.

The Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges are stretch of underwater mountains that run approximately 1,800 miles longer than the Himalayas, and a unique combination of currents and oxygenation make the area one of the most biologically unique on the planet. Lead scientist Erin Easton said, “each underwater mountain is like its own ecosystem, hosting distinct creatures that don’t live anywhere else on the planet.”

However, some 70 percent of the area is outside of protected waters, meaning that threats to the area could be around the corner. This underscores the importance of looking beyond country bounds and working as an global collective to save biodiversity.

Scientists Confirm Underwater Mountains Harbor Abundant Life Off Chile’s Coast - Schmidt Ocean Institute The crew of Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel Falkor (too) discovered four underwater mountains — the tallest of which is over 1.5 miles high — on a January transit from Golfito, Costa Rica, to Valparaiso, Chile.

Today marks the official publication date of Preserving Planet Earth, a book that means a lot to us at the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation.

Per the description, the book calls on young and old to avert a looming tragedy of Aristotelian proportions--the demise of the “Mother Nature” that made it possible for our species to flourish. Thoroughly interdisciplinary in its approach, it will appeal to students and teachers as well as general readers interested in environmental studies, philosophy, and education.

Author Jane Roland Martin is an internationally acclaimed philosopher of education, supported and admired by E.O. Wilson. She too was inspired by Ed and chose to dedicate this book to him.

Woven throughout the novel are references to All the Light We Cannot See, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by friend of the Foundation Anthony Doerr Additionally, Bill McKibben and our very own Paula Ehrlich were chosen to give editorial reviews which were, of course, fantastic.

Preserving Planet Earth Preserving Planet Earth

Visualization makes the world go ‘round—especially when it comes to teaching science.

Selim Tlili, a Half-Earth Educator Master Ambassador based in New York City, teaches statistics and various levels of high school biology.

He brings visualizations into lessons whenever possible because he believes that when students can see something, they’re better able to discern patterns and generate hypotheses of their own.

This has allowed him to shift the approach of his lab classes—rather than having students create a predetermined report in a particular format, he now encourages students to look around, put their observations into biological context, and see what they can learn from the process. And that is an idea that we can *all* learn from. 📚

The Species Protection Index (SPI) shows us is that not all protected areas are created equal, and if countries want to maximize biodiversity conservation, they should consider species richness and rarity when making decisions about protected area placement.

Dive into our new ArcGIS StoryMap “Priority Places for Biodiversity Conservation”, developed with the Map of Life, to explore how high-resolution data on species richness and rarity, available on the Half-Earth Project Map, can help inform the establishment of protected areas.

Priority Places for Biodiversity Conservation Our planet is abounding with forms of life big, small, feathered, scaled, slimy, many-legged, no-legged, rooted, bushy, branching, and so much more. This amazing breadth of species, referred to as biodiversity, is all around us, from the cities to the mountains to the deep sea. And, if you’ve been...

For , we’re zooming into at Gunung Leuser National Park northern Sumatra, famous in the media right now for being the place where scientists observed Rakus the Sumatran orangutan apply medicinal plants to a wound on his face. But did you know that Gunung Leuser encapsulates one-fifth of the entire remaining habitat for this critically endangered species?

Alongside the Sumatran orangutan, we’ll also find other critically endangered species in Gunung Leuser such as the Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) and the siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus), both of which have about one-sixth of their suitable habitat within the national park.

Using the Half-Earth Project Map Analyze Areas tool, discover what endangered species you can expect to find in a National Park, Wildlife Refuge, or any area of interest, anywhere in the world.

For the first time since 1803, Cicadas from Brood XIX and XIII have started to emerge simultaneously in the Eastern U.S. What’s all that (literal) buzz about?

While most crickets make noise by rubbing their wings, male cicadas produce sounds with a dedicated organ called the tymbal. When muscles attached to the tymbals contract and relax, these ribbed structures buckle in and out, creating unique sounds that vary in pattern and frequency among species.

This sound is amplified by a number of other factors, such as abdomen shape and—you may have noticed it—hotter weather. Warm air allows male cicadas to contract their muscles with greater intensity, meaning their song is often loudest at the height of afternoon heat.

Congratulations to all of the 2024 Pulitzer Prize winners!

We celebrate this amazing accomplishment and honor all current and past winners, including E.O. Wilson and Bert Hölldobler, who won the 1991 General Nonfiction award.

Have you read The Ants? 🐜 📖

Happy ! For all our birder friends out there, check out the new global bird data on the Half-Earth Project Map. Here’s hoping 2024 is a Big Year.

Our experts wanted us to talk about the birds of Northern Peru. Share stories of your lifer, spark, or nemesis bird. Any megas or grails out there? Tell us in the comments below. And no, the Millennium Falcon doesn’t count!

1️⃣ Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis)
Status: Endangered
📸 David Cook Wildlife Photography via iNat, CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED

2️⃣ Speckle-Chested Piculet (Picumnus steindachneri)
Status: Endangered
📸 Nick Athanas via iNat, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 DEED

3️⃣ Golden-Backed Mountain Tanager (Buthraupis aureodorsalis)
Status: Endangered
📸 chris.w.birder via iNat, CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED

A welcome report from BBC News! In a new study published in Science, researchers reviewed 665 conservation trials dating back to 1890 and found that they had a positive impact in approximately two of three cases.

While so, so much is left to be done, we should draw inspiration from the fact that we have the tools at our disposal to slow the rate of biodiversity loss.

Have you seen the new global reptile data on the Half-Earth Project Map?

Incorporating the most recent additions to the world’s protected areas, we’ve updated the global priority layers for all terrestrial and marine vertebrates on the Half-Earth Project Map. Let’s visit one of these special areas on the “island continent” of Australia.

With the largest number of known reptile species of any continent, Australia’s southwest region alone is home to dozens of endemic species, like the vulnerable spotted sandplain gecko, as well as many enigmatic species, like the Wicherina worm lizard, which slither and scamper alongside other iconic fauna like the quokka. Such unique diversity makes this region a global priority place for reptile biodiversity, but it faces threats from introduced species and human development.

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New global amphibian data is now available on the Half-Earth Project Map!

Incorporating the most recent additions to the world’s protected areas, we’ve updated the global priority layers for all terrestrial and marine vertebrates on the Half-Earth Project Map. Let’s take a look at some of these unique priority areas.

We asked our mapping team to identify a hotspot that stood out to them for each taxon. Their answer for amphibians? The Appalachian Mountains. ⛰️

A global hotspot of diversity, the unique limestone geology of this region harbors dozens of endemic species, including some whose entire known habitat covers no more than 1000 square kilometers. More than 50 species of salamander call this region home, many of which are threatened by habitat degradation, such as the endangered Weller’s salamander (Plethodon welleri) and the vulnerable red-legged salamander (Plethodon shermani). Explore more on the Half-Earth Project website, linked here: https://tinyurl.com/3d6ny9k7

As for the species in this post…

1️⃣ Weller’s Salamander (Plethodon welleri)�Status: Endangered
Photo Credit: Todd Pierson via iNat, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 DEED

2️⃣ Dwarf Black-Bellied Salamander (Desmognathus folkertsi)
Status: Data Deficient
Photo Credit: kevin 0226 via iNat, CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED

3️⃣ Red-Legged Salamander (Plethodon shermani)
Status: Vulnerable
Photo Credit: squamatologist via iNat, CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED

Happy ! 🐬👇..
1️⃣ Hector's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori)
📍 Akaroa Harbor, New Zealand
💬 Fun fact: Hector’s dolphin is the world’s smallest dolphin species, with adults measuring from 1.2–1.6m (3’11” – 5’3”).

2️⃣ Spinner dolphin (Stenella longirorstris)
📸 .rochon.photo
📍 Red Sea, Egypt
💬 Fun fact: Spinner dolphins form “megapods” — often of hundreds, even thousands — for hunting and socializing.

3️⃣ Amazon river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis)
📍 Rio Negro, Brazil
💬 Fun fact: A giant ancient river dolphin was discovered last month in Peru!

4️⃣ Orca (Orcinus orca)
📍 Vancouver Island, Canada
💬 Fun fact: Despite being commonly referred to as “killer whales,” orcas are actually the largest species in the dolphin family.