Michael Majerus

Not to be confused with Michel Majerus.

Michael E. N. Majerus
Born(1954-02-13)13 February 1954
Middlesex, England
Died27 January 2009(2009-01-27) (aged 54)
Coton, Cambridgeshire, England
Alma materRoyal Holloway College
Known forPeppered moth evolution
AwardsSir Peter Scott Memorial Award
Scientific career
FieldsEntomology, Evolutionary biology, Genetics
InstitutionsKeele University
University of Cambridge
Clare College, Cambridge

Michael Eugene Nicolas Majerus (13 February 1954 – 27 January 2009) was a British geneticist and professor of evolution at the University of Cambridge. He was also a teaching fellow at Clare College, Cambridge. He was an enthusiast in Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection and became a world authority in his field of insect evolutionary biology. He was widely noted for his work on moths and ladybirds and as an advocate of the science of evolution. He was also an enthusiastic educator[1][2] and the author of several books on insects,[3][4] evolution[5][6] and sexual reproduction.[7] He is best remembered as an ardent supporter and champion of experiments on peppered moth evolution.[8][9]

  1. ^ For example: Majerus, M.E.N. (2008). "Signs of Darwin in your back garden: The defensive colour patterns of moths and butterflies". AES Bug Club. 16: 29–40.
  2. ^ Majerus, M.E.N. (2009). "Industrial Melanism in the Peppered Moth, Biston betularia: An Excellent Teaching Example of Darwinian Evolution in Action". Evolution: Education and Outreach. 2: 63–74. doi:10.1007/s12052-008-0107-y.
  3. ^ Majerus, M. E. N. (1994). Ladybirds. New Naturalist series, #81. Collins, London, UK. ISBN 978-0-00-219935-3.
  4. ^ Majerus, M. E. N. (2002). Moths. New Naturalist series, #90. Collins, London, UK. ISBN 978-0-00-220142-1.
  5. ^ Majerus, M. E. N.; Amos, W. D.; Hurst, G. D. D. (1996). Evolution the Four Billion Year War. Longman, UK. ISBN 978-0-582-21569-6.
  6. ^ Majerus, M. E. N. (1998). Melanism: Evolution in Action. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. ISBN 978-0-19-854982-6.
  7. ^ Majerus, M. E. N. (2003). Sex Wars: Genes Bacteria and Biased Sex Ratios. Princeton University Press, Princeton, USA. ISBN 978-0-691-00981-0.
  8. ^ "Professor Michael Majerus (1954–2009)". British Humanist Association. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  9. ^ Gregory, TR (28 January 2009). "Dr. Michael Majerus (1954–2009)". Genomicron. Retrieved 24 July 2014.