Origins & Early Life

Motoo Kimura (木村 資生, Kimura Motō) (November 13, 1924 – November 13, 1994) was a Japanese biologist best known for introducing the neutral theory of molecular evolution in 1968. He became one of the most influential theoretical population geneticists. He is remembered in genetics for his innovative use of diffusion equations to calculate the probability of fixation of beneficial, deleterious, or neutral alleles. Combining theoretical population genetics with molecular evolution data, he also developed the neutral theory of molecular evolution in which genetic drift is the main force changing allele frequencies.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

James Franklin Crow, himself a renowned population geneticist, considered Kimura to be one of the two greatest evolutionary geneticists, along with Gustave Malécot, after the great trio of the modern synthesis, Ronald Fisher, J. B. S. Haldane, and Sewall Wright. Kimura was born on November 13, 1924, in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

From an early age he was very interested in botany, though he also excelled at mathematics (teaching himself geometry and other maths during a lengthy convalescence due to food poisoning). After entering a selective high school in Nagoya...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• 1924 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1924
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• 1994 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1994