“almost all biologists agreed that no creature could ever evolve the ability to help its species at the expense of itself. Only when the two interests coincided would it act selflessly.” — Matt Ridley Copy Share Image
I felt cheated by the way grown-ups told me that the future of the world was bleak when I became a teenager in the… — Matt Ridley Copy Share Image
“If you attend a meeting of evolutionary biologists somewhere in America, you might be lucky and spot a tall, gray-whiskered, smiling man bearing a… — Matt Ridley Copy Share Image
“Merchants and craftsmen make prosperity; chiefs, priests and thieves fritter it away.” — Matt Ridley Copy Share Image
At some point, human intelligence became collective and cumulative in a way that happened to no other animal. — Matt Ridley Copy Share Image
We consciously decide whether to consider people; we fall in love despite ourselves; we entirely fail to fall in love with people who fall… — Matt Ridley Copy Share Image
It's terrifying the way molecular biology has become more and more jargon ridden. But I strongly believe that my book can be read by… — Matt Ridley Copy Share Image
“The gene contains a single 'word', repeated over and over again: CAG, CAG, CAG, CAG ... The repetition continues sometimes just six times, sometimes… — Matt Ridley Copy Share Image
“If you think being descended from apes is bad for your self esteem, then get used to the idea that you are also descended… — Matt Ridley Copy Share Image
Government can encourage innovation, but mainly by doing less, not doing more. — Matt Ridley Copy Share Image
Note even Jonathan Swift would dare to write a satire in which politicians argued that - in a world where species are vanishing and… — Matt Ridley Copy Share Image
The evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in 1976 coined the term ‘meme’ for a unit of cultural imitation. — Matt Ridley Copy Share Image
This idea holds out hope that the human race will prosper mightily in the years ahead-because ideas are having sex with each other as… — Matt Ridley Copy Share Image
