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Bruce Wallace
(18 May 1920 - 12 Jan 2015)
American geneticist who was a world-renowned pioneer in the study of the genetics of natural populations. In later years, he was a passionate advocate for environmental literacy.
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Science Quotes by Bruce Wallace (2 quotes)
In man, population structure reaches its greatest complexity. Mankind—the human species, Homo sapiens—is the most inclusive Mendelian population, one which inhabits nearly the whole globe.
— Bruce Wallace
In Radiation, Genes, and Man (1959), 102.
The assumption we have made … is that marriages and the union of gametes occur at random. The validity of this assumption may now be examined. “Random mating” obviously does not mean promiscuity; it simply means, as already explained above, that in the choice of mates for marriage there is neither preference for nor aversion to the union of persons similar or dissimilar with respect to a given trait or gene. Not all gentlemen prefer blondes or brunettes. Since so few people know what their blood type is, it is even safer to say that the chances of mates being similar or dissimilar in blood type are determined simply by the incidence of these blood types in a given Mendelian population.
[Co-author with Theodosius Dobzhansky]
[Co-author with Theodosius Dobzhansky]
— Bruce Wallace
In Radiation, Genes and Man (1960), 107.
See also:
- 18 May - short biography, births, deaths and events on date of Wallace's birth.
In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.
(1987) -- 
