Sir E. Ray (Edwin Ray) Lankester

Born in London on May 15, 1847, and educated at St Paul's School, Downing College, Cambridge, and Christ Church, Oxford, he grew up in a family deeply interested in science. His father, Edwin Lankester, was a doctor and naturalist, and his mother, Phebe Lankester, wrote about botany and natural history.

He became one of Britain's most important zoologists, teaching at University College London and later at Oxford. His work ranged across comparative anatomy, embryology, and evolution, and he was an early supporter of Darwin's ideas. He also helped found the Marine Biological Association and later served as director of the Natural History Museum in London.

Beyond specialist research, he wrote books and essays for general readers, including works that explained nature and evolution in an accessible way. Knighted for his scientific service, he remained a major public voice for biology until his death in 1929.