Autor: George John Romanes

George John Romanes, born on May 19, 1848, in Kingston, Canada West (now Ontario), was a pioneering evolutionary biologist and psychologist who made significant contributions to the field in the late 19th century. He was a close associate of Charles Darwin, and his work provided further empirical support for evolutionary theory through meticulous observations and experiments. Romanes is recognized for his development of the comparative approach in the study of animal behavior and psychology, a method that became a cornerstone for the disciplines of comparative psychology and ethology. His 1885 book, „Jelly-Fish, Star-Fish, and Sea-Urchins: Being a Research on Primitive Nervous Systems, “ exemplifies his meticulous empirical approach. In it, Romanes examines the nervous systems of simple marine organisms, demonstrating their complexity and evolutionary significance. This work, while technical in nature, shows his ability to communicate with both scientific and lay audiences. A proponent of Darwin“s theory of natural selection, Romanes founded the field of comparative psychology and coined the term „neurone.“ The scholarly community recognizes him for his contributions to the understanding of animal intelligence and his efforts to explore the evolutionary continuum between non-human and human animals. He passed away at the relatively young age of 46 on May 23, 1894, yet his legacy in the field of biological science continues to influence scholars to this day.