Huxley

Huxley, British family of writers and scientists. Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95), biologist, is best known for his support of Darwin's theory of evolution, without which acceptance of the theory might have been long delayed. Most of his own contributions to paleontology and zoology (especially taxonomy), botany, geology, and anthropology were related to this. He also coined the word “agnostic.” His son Leonard Huxley (1860–1933), writer, wrote The Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley (1900). Of his children, 3 earned fame. Sir Julian Sorell Huxley (1887–1975) is best known as a biologist and ecologist. His early interests were in development and growth, genetics, and embryology. Later he made important studies of bird behavior, studied evolution, and wrote many popular scientific books. Aldous Leonard Huxley (1894–1963) was one of the 20th century's foremost novelists. Important works include Crome Yellow (1921), Antic Hay (1923), and Point Counter Point (1928), characterized by their wit and attitude toward lofty pretensions, and the famous Brave New World (1932) and Eyeless in Gaza (1936). After experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs he became interested in mysticism. Later works include The Devils of London (1952), the Doors of Perception (1954), and Island (1962). Andrew Field Huxley (1917– ) shared the 1963 Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine with A.L. Hodgkin and Sir J. Eccles for his work with Hodgkin on the chemical basis of nerve impulse transmission.