Simon Conway Morris is a paleontologist at the University of Cambridge. His research has illuminated the history of convergent evolution–the recurrence of similar biological features such as vision, wings, and even intelligence across vastly different evolutionary lineages. Through his popular books Life's Solution, The Runes of Evolution, and From Extra-terrestrials to Animal Minds, he makes the case that convergence is not merely a series of curious coincidences, but evidence of a deeper order to biology.

Simon is a Fellow of the Royal Society and was just announced the winner of the 2026 Templeton Prize, a $1.4M dollar award for those who harness the power of the sciences to explore the deepest and most perplexing questions facing humankind.

Watch the Templeton Prize video, which explains Simon's ideas, his biography, and the interesting parallels between cockroaches and dogs.

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