E. O. Wilson

People need a sacred narrative. They must have a sense of larger purpose, in one form or another, however intellectualized. They will find a way to keep ancestral spirits alive.

The variety of genes on the planet in viruses exceeds, or is likely to exceed, that in all of the rest of life combined.

If we were to wipe out insects alone on this planet, the rest of life and humanity with it would mostly disappear from the land. Within a few months.

What we need is an electronic encyclopedia of life, with one page for each species. On each page is given everything known about that species.

It's obvious that the key problem facing humanity in the coming century is how to bring a better quality of life - for 8 billion or more people - without wrecking the environment entirely in the attempt.

We don't need to clear the 4 to 6 percent of the Earth's surface remaining in tropical rain forests, with most of the animal and plant species living there.

Because the living environment is what really sustains us.

America in particular imposes an horrendous burden on the world. We have this wonderful standard of living but it comes at enormous cost.

I see no way out of the problems that organized religion and tribalism create other than humans just becoming more honest and fully aware of themselves.

Every major religion today is a winner in the Darwinian struggle waged among cultures, and none ever flourished by tolerating its rivals.

Well, let me tell you, ants are the dominant insects. They make up as much as a quarter of the biomass of all insects in the world. They are the principal predators. They're the cemetery workers.

It's always been a dream of mine, of exploring the living world, of classifying all the species and finding out what makes up the biosphere.