Stephen C. Stearns

About the Author

Stephen C. Stearns is a distinguished evolutionary biologist and professor emeritus at Yale University, where he has shaped the field of life history evolution through decades of innovative research and teaching. Renowned for bridging evolutionary theory with practical applications in health and medicine, Stearns explores how Darwinian principles illuminate human biology and disease. His seminal work, Evolutionary Medicine, co-authored with Ruslan Medzhitov, offers a groundbreaking framework for understanding illnesses from an evolutionary perspective, challenging conventional medical paradigms and inspiring a new generation of scientists. With a career spanning influential publications, lectures worldwide, and mentorship of countless researchers, Stearns continues to advocate for an integrative approach to biology that emphasizes adaptation, trade-offs, and the deep evolutionary roots of contemporary health challenges.