Dr. Scott Solomon is a biologist, professor, and science communicator. He teaches ecology, evolutionary biology, and scientific communication as a Teaching Professor at Rice University in Houston. Dr. Solomon is also a Research Associate at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History and a Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer. He has a Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior from the University of Texas at Austin where his research examined the evolutionary basis of biological diversity in the Amazon Basin.
He has taught field biology in the savannahs of East Africa, in the rainforests and reefs of Belize, and the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. He developed a series of online introductory biology courses through Coursera as well as two complete digital series with The Great Courses called Why Insects Matter: Earth’s Most Essential Species and What Darwin Didn’t Know: The Modern Science of Evolution. Before coming to Rice, he worked as a visiting researcher with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC and São Paulo State University in Rio Claro, Brazil.
Dr. Solomon’s research examines the ecology and evolution of insects, microbes, and humans. He is a Fellow of The Explorers Club and a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society, and the Society for the Study of Evolution.
Dr. Solomon’s latest book, Becoming Martian: How Living in Space Will Change Our Bodies and Minds was published by MIT Press on Feb 17, 2026. He is also the author of Future Humans: Inside the Science of Our Continuing Evolution (Yale University Press), which was included on the 2017 Best Book List by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Dr. Solomon is the creator and host of the podcast Wild World with Scott Solomon. He has appeared on numerous television and streaming series such as ABC News, Life 2.0 and NASA’s Unexplained Files, radio broadcasts on NPR and the BBC World Service, as well as webinars and podcasts such as Modern Wisdom, Quirks and Quarks, Professor Dave Explains, Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe, and Science Fantastic with Dr. Michio Kaku.
His writing and photography have appeared in publications such as The Washington Post, National Geographic, The Globe and Mail, Slate, Aeon, Nautilus, MIT Technology Review, NBC News, and Wired. He co-wrote and co-produced a three-part docu-series for CuriosityStream called Becoming Martian released in 2021.
He co-hosted a live webinar series called DORKS: Discussing Our Research & Knowledge Socially. He regularly speaks about science at schools, museums, churches, science cafés, TEDx events and other venues. He also hosts educational travel experiences in wild places around the world, from Antarctica to the Galapagos Islands and more.
“Scott Solomon brings science and scientists to life.” —Melvin Konner, author of Believers: Faith in Human Natur
“Solomon keeps his arguments entertaining, and the science, strong.” —Mark W. Moffett, author of The Human Swarm
“Solomon is an explorer, storyteller, and particularly gifted explainer of evolutionary biology.” –Kelly Weinersmith, best-selling author of A City on Mars and Soonish
“He’s the kind of guy I wish I had as a professor when I was in college.” —The Chronicle of Higher Education
