American paleontologist and evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould died on May 20th 2002 at the age of 60. Gould was born in New York City on September 10th 1941 and graduated from Antioch College, Ohio in 1963. He was an enthusiastic student and quickly gained recognition in his field, earning his PhD from Columbia University in 1967. Gould held teaching and research appointments at Harvard University from 1973 to 2001. He studied the fossil record to help understand how species evolve, as well as to explain why they sometimes don't. This research lead to the famous punctuated equilibrium theory he developed with colleague Niles Eldredge, proposing that life species evolve in fits and starts as opposed to Darwin's gradual evolution. Throughout his life, Gould wrote prolifically on a variety of topics including his scientific research, philosophy of science and natural history, becoming one of the world's most recognized intellectuals and popular scientific writers. His groundbreaking books include The Panda's Thumb (1980), Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History (1989) and Full House: The Spread of Excellence from Plato to Darwin (1996). His advocacy for evolution and scientific integrity earned him numerous awards throughout his career. Gould will be remembered as an unparalleled scientist, philosopher and advocate for scientific integrity. His vast knowledge and humour will be missed.