Douglas J. Emlen

Douglas J. Emlen

Douglas J. Emlen was born on April 29th, 1967 and is currently 59 years old. Emlen attended Cornell University where they received a B.A. and Princeton University where they received a PhD.

Douglas J. Emlen is an evolutionary biologist and Professor of Biology at the University of Montana. In 2023, he was inducted into the National Academy of Sciences.

His research offers insights into the evolution and development of exaggerated male weaponry, such as the horns found in scarab beetles. Douglas’s work combines approaches from genetics, behavioral ecology, developmental biology, and phylogenetics to better comprehend how evolution has shaped these structures.

His projects include an examination of how altered expression of appendage patterning genes contributes to species differences in the shape of horn, and how the insulin receptor pathway modulates the size of male weapons in response to the larval nutritional environment.

Douglas received the E. O. Wilson Naturalist Award in 2013 and was a Golden Key Honor Society selection in 2012.

Beetle Battles: One Scientist’s Journey of Adventure and Discovery is about Douglas exploring why an elusive type of beetle grows weapons that are enormous for its body size.

Doug is a scientist, one who studies beetles. More specifically, he studies the evolution of beetle weapons, how their armor and horns change to better suit them in different environments.

This book begins with a mystery: Doug wants to know why a particular type of beetle has developed this massive evolutionary weapon. He tried to understand how such changes happened and what advantages such enormous weapons gave the tiny dung beetles. So, he went to visit.

Part scientific exploration and part travel diary, this book takes readers deeper into the South American rainforest to monitor beetles in their natural habitat. Packed with extensive back matter, color photographs, and entertaining anecdotes, this book will make beetle fans out of all its young readers.

Evolution: Making Sense of Life features riveting stories about evolutionary biologists at work, from hospital wards to tropical rainforests and the Arctic. This book is a reading adventure designed to grab the imagination of students, showing them precisely why evolution makes such brilliant sense of life.

Douglas Emlen (Evolutionary Biologist) and Carl Zimmer (Science Writer) continue to refine their widely praised evolution textbook. Douglas, an award-winning evolutionary biologist at the University of Montana, has infused this book with all the conceptual depth and the technical rigor that today's biology majors require. Zimmer, an award-winning New York Times columnist, brings compelling storytelling to this book, bringing evolutionary research to life through a narrative that is sure to capture the attention of evolution students.

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Fans of Douglas J. Emlen also enjoy these authors:

1. Stephen King, author of The Dark Tower Series.
2. Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander Series.
3. Jane Austen, author of: Pride and Prejudice.
4. Terry Pratchett, author of: Good Omens.
5. Bill Bryson, author of the Bill Bryson Travel Books.

Douglas J. Emlen: F.A.Q