Origins & Early Life

Thomas (Tom) Cavalier-Smith, FRS, FRSC, NERC Professorial Fellow (21 October 1942 – 19 March 2021), was a professor of evolutionary biology in the Department of Zoology, at the University of Oxford. His research has led to discovery of a number of unicellular organisms (protists) and advocated for a variety of major taxonomic groups, such as the Chromista, Chromalveolata, Opisthokonta, Rhizaria, and Excavata. He was known for his systems of classification of all organisms. Cavalier-Smith was born on 21 October 1942 in London.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His parents were Mary Maude (née Bratt) and Alan Hailes Spencer Cavalier Smith. He was educated at Norwich School, Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge (MA) in Biology and King's College London (PhD) in Zoology. He was under the supervision of Sir John Randall for his PhD thesis between 1964 and 1967; his thesis was entitled "Organelle Development in Chlamydomonas reinhardii". From 1967 to 1969, Cavalier-Smith was a guest investigator at Rockefeller University. He became Lecturer of biophysics at King's College London in 1969.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He was promoted to Reader in 1982. From the early 1980s, Smith promoted views about the taxonomic relationships among...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Ama Ata Aidoo — Contemporary (Born in 1942) (1942): Pioneering Ghanaian writer, poet, and academician celebrated for feminist themes.
• Amitabh Bachchan — Contemporary (Born in 1942) (1942): Iconic figure of Hindi cinema, celebrated for versatility and enduring stardom.
• Anita Roddick — Contemporary (Born in 1942) (1942): Pioneering activist and founder of The Body Shop, championing ethical consumerism.
• Abdul Qadeer Khan — Contemporary (Died in 2021) (2021): Pakistani nuclear physicist, known as the 'father of Pakistan's atomic weapons program'
• Albert Bandura — Contemporary (Died in 2021) (2021): Pioneering psychologist known for Social Cognitive Theory and self-efficacy.
• Anne Rice — Contemporary (Died in 2021) (2021): Pioneering Gothic and Erotic Fiction, best known for The Vampire Chronicles.
• 5th Dalai Lama — Shared historical date (10-21 · Born) (1617): Spiritual and political unifier of Tibet, establishing the Ganden Phodrang.
• Alfred Nobel — Shared historical date (10-21 · Born) (1833): Pioneering chemist, inventor of dynamite, and founder of the Nobel Prizes.
• Adalbert Gyrowetz — Shared historical date (03-19 · Died) (1850): Czech-Austrian composer known for symphonies and string quartets.
• Alexis of Russia — Shared historical date (03-19 · Born) (1629): Tsar of All Russia, second Romanov to rule, known for legal reforms and wars.
• 1942 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1942
• October 21 (10-21) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on October 21
• 2021 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2021
• March 19 (03-19) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on March 19