Hello and welcome to the podcast of the Life Scientific.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

I'm Jim Alleili and my mission is to interview

the most fascinating and important scientists alive today and to find out what makes them tick.

My guest today has been described as the world's most evolved biologist

and even as the heir to Darwin. He's a passionate naturalist and an absolute world

authority on ants. One of his books on ants contained no fewer than 5,000

hand-drawn illustrations of the different species.

Known to many as the founding father of sociobiology, he's also a big hitter in the world

of evolutionary theory, but recently he's criticized what's popularly known as the

selfish gene theory of evolution that he once worked so hard to promote and that now underpins

the mainstream view on evolution.

He's a man who's clearly not afraid to change his mind.

A twice-pullet surprise-winning author of more than 20 books,

he's also an extremely active campaigner

for the preservation of the planet's

biodiversity. He says destroying rainforest for economic gain is like burning a

Renaissance painting to cook a meal. Professor E.O Wilson, welcome to the life scientific.

I'm very happy to be here.

And I hope I can call you Ed.

I would hope you call me nothing else.

Excellent, thank you.

...