Steve Jones (biologist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steve Jones
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Steve Jones in 2012
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| Born |
John Stephen Jones
24 March 1944 Aberystwyth, Wales
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| Nationality | British |
| Education | Wirral Grammar School for Boys |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh (BSc, PhD) |
| Known for | Books, journalism and broadcasting |
| Spouse(s) |
Norma Percy
(m. 2004) |
| Awards | Michael Faraday Prize (1996) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | |
| Institutions | |
| Thesis | Studies on the ecological genetics of Cepaea (1972) |
| Doctoral advisor | Bryan Clarke |
John Stephen Jones (born 24 March 1944) is a British geneticist. He used to be the head of the Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment at University College London. He studies genetics in the Galton Laboratory.
Steve Jones is also a TV presenter and a writer who has won awards for his books about biology, especially evolution. He is well-known for making evolution easy to understand. In 1996, he won the Michael Faraday Prize. This award was for his many efforts to help people understand science. He explained topics like human evolution, how people are different, and inherited diseases. He did this through radio and TV shows, lectures, and popular science books.
Contents
Growing Up and School
Steve Jones was born in Aberystwyth, Wales. His parents, Lydia Anne and Thomas Gwilym Jones, met while studying at the University of Aberystwyth. When he was young, his family often stayed at his grandparents' homes in Wales. Later, they moved to the Wirral in England, but still visited Wales for holidays.
His father was a chemist who worked on detergents. As a child, Steve Jones loved to read. He spent a lot of time in his paternal grandparents' attic, which was full of books. By the age of 14, he had read all the books by Charles Dickens. He also enjoyed observing local wildlife, especially birds.
Jones went to Wirral Grammar School for Boys. A school teacher inspired him to study biology when he was about 13 or 14 years old.
University Studies
Steve Jones applied to the University of Edinburgh for his first degree. He was accepted into a zoology course. In 1967, he won a prize for his essay on snails. He continued his studies at Edinburgh to earn a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. His research focused on the ecological genetics of Cepaea, a type of snail. These snails have shells with different color patterns, which makes them great for studying evolution. His PhD supervisor, Bryan Clarke, helped him develop his interest in snails.
Career and Research
After getting his PhD, Steve Jones did more research on the genetics of Drosophila (fruit flies) at the University of Chicago. This helped him gain wider experience. Much of his research has focused on snails. He uses his studies to understand biodiversity and genetics better.
Sharing Science with Everyone
Steve Jones is well-known for explaining science to the public. In 1991, he gave a series of talks on BBC Radio called The Language of the Genes. These talks later became a popular book in 1993.
- Listen to his talks: BBC Reith Lectures Archive
- Read the scripts: BBC Reith Lectures 1990 – 1999
He also presented a TV series called In the Blood in 1996. This six-part series was about human genetics.
In 2011, Steve Jones wrote a report for the BBC Trust about how the BBC reports on science. He suggested that the BBC should be careful not to give too much attention to views that are not supported by science. He called this "false balance." The BBC generally agreed with his suggestions and put many of them into practice.
Awards and Recognition
Steve Jones has received many honors for his work.
- In 1996, he won the Michael Faraday Prize from the Royal Society.
- He gave the Reith Lectures in 1991.
- In 2011, he was elected to the American Philosophical Society.
- In 2011, he also became a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales.
- In 2012, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS).
Personal Life and Views
Steve Jones has been with documentary maker Norma Percy since 1977, and they married in 2004.
He supports organizations like Humanists UK and the National Secular Society. He believes in a non-religious view of life. In 2006, he won the Irwin Prize for Secularist of the Year. In 2011, he became the President of The Association for Science Education.
Views on Education
Steve Jones believes that private schools can make society less fair. He has said that private schools often have smaller classes, better teachers, and more facilities than public schools. He thinks this creates an unfair advantage.
Views on Science and Belief
Steve Jones has strong views on science and religion. He believes that creationism (the idea that the world was created as described in religious texts) goes against science. He has stated that "evolution is the grammar of biology," meaning it's a basic rule for understanding life. He gave a public lecture called 'Why creationism is wrong and evolution is right' to explain his full position.
Views on Human Evolution
Steve Jones has suggested that human evolution might be slowing down or even stopping. He believes this is partly because modern societies have less child mortality. Also, people are moving around more, which mixes up populations. This reduces the natural selection pressures that drove evolution in the past. Other scientists have discussed and debated these ideas.
