Edward O. Wilson, biologist known as ‘ant man,’ dead at 92

BOSTON (AP) — Edward O. Wilson, the pioneering Harvard biologist who advanced the provocative theory that human behavior such as war and altruism has a genetic basis, has died. He was 92. A tribute posted Monday on the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation’s website said Wilson died on Dec. 26. The professor won two Pulitzer prizes, including one for the lavishly illustrated book “The Ants,” showcasing the insects whose behavior he studied for decades. He first gained widespread attention for his 1975 book, “Sociobiology: The New Synthesis,” in which he spelled out the evidence suggesting a link between human behavior and genetics. The work created a storm of controversy among activists and fellow academics who equated sociobiology’s groundbreaking theories with sexism, racism and Nazism.