Better late than never

One hundred and fifty years ago, British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace wrote an essay describing some of his ideas on the origin of new species and survival of the fittest species in an environment. Knowing that Charles Darwin had been kicking around some similar ideas, Wallace sent him a copy so the two might compare notes. Darwin, who indeed had formed some seemingly identical conclusions to Wallace's, asked close friend and prominent geologist of the time, Charles Lyell, for advice on how to deal with the similar theories. Lyell suggested that Darwin and Wallace's findings be presented together at the annual meeting of the Linnean Society, held that July in London.