Jack Cohen (scientist)
Encyclopedia
Jack Cohen, FIBiol (born 19 September 1933 in Norwich
) is a British
reproductive biologist
also known for his popular science books and involvement with science fiction
.
. His father was killed at the end of the Second World War. His grandfather was a rabbi
and he himself was an observant Jew
, but later became an atheist. Nevertheless he continued to attend the synagogue
for cultural reasons. Has been married three times, and has six children.
obtaining a BSc
(external degree of the University of London) in 1954.He obtained his PhD
in Zoology
at the same institution, (by then Hull University) in 1957. He went to the University of Birmingham
for post-doctoral work, and was appointed Lecturer in the Department of Zoology
and Comparative Physiology
in 1959. He worked for a year at Harvard Medical School
then returned to Birmingham
as a Senior Lecturer in 1968, a position he held until 1987. His former students include Sir Paul Nurse
winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize
for Medicine, and Dr Arthur Jones, a proponent of intelligent design
. In 1974 the University of Birmingham
awarded him a DSc
for his work.
During 1987 to 1989 he was Senior Embryological Advisor and Manager of Laboratories at the IVF/Infertility Clinic of a London
private hospital. During 1995 to 1996 he was Visiting Professor at the Weizmann Institute, Israel
. From 1996 to 2000 he was a consultant at the University of Warwick
jointly to the Ecosystems Unit of the Biology Dept and the Mathematics Institute. He is currently an Honorary Professor at the Mathematics Institute of the University of Warwick
and a Visiting Professor at Durham Business School.
He has published in prestigious journals such as Nature
and written textbooks such as Living Embryos - an Introduction to the Study of Animal Development (1967) and Reproduction (1977). His theory of sperm redundancy
has been important in studies of fertility and treatment of infertility. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Biology
.
novels regarding the creation of plausible alien
s. The writers who have acknowledged his assistance include Anne McCaffrey
for the Dragonriders of Pern
; Larry Niven
, Jerry Pournelle
and Steven Barnes
for their Legacy of Heorot
; James White
of Sector General
fame;David Gerrold
for the Chtorr ecology; and Terry Pratchett
for several works.
Cohen and fellow University of Warwick
researcher Ian Stewart
, a mathematician, collaborated with Terry Pratchett to write three Science of Discworld books, which accompany his Discworld series. Pratchett made them both "Honorary Wizards of the Unseen University" at the same 1999 ceremony where the University of Warwick gave Pratchett an honorary degree. Anne McCaffrey dedicated All the Weyrs of Pern (1991) to Jack and Judy Cohen and credited Jack with making fact of her fiction.
Cohen and Stewart have also co-authored books on epistemology.
Jack Cohen is a member of the high IQ society Mensa
. He was one of the small group of British Mensans who persuaded science fiction author Isaac Asimov
to visit the United Kingdom
in June 1974.http://www.andrew-may.com/asf/asimov.htm
He has a long standing interest in the design and natural balance of (particularly manmade) lake ecosystems, having designed new filtration systems but also led in reinstating Victorian designed systems at various locations around the UK.
In 2009, he became a patron
of the anti-circumcision charity NORM-UK
.
His hobbies, according to the author profiles in his books, include boomerang
-throwing and keeping strange animals.
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
reproductive biologist
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
also known for his popular science books and involvement with science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
.
Life
Cohen was born 19 September 1933 in Norwich, but grew up in Stoke NewingtonStoke Newington
Stoke Newington is a district in the London Borough of Hackney. It is north-east of Charing Cross.-Boundaries:In modern terms, Stoke Newington can be roughly defined by the N16 postcode area . Its southern boundary with Dalston is quite ill-defined too...
. His father was killed at the end of the Second World War. His grandfather was a rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
and he himself was an observant Jew
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
, but later became an atheist. Nevertheless he continued to attend the synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
for cultural reasons. Has been married three times, and has six children.
Academic career
He studied at University College, HullUniversity of Hull
The University of Hull, known informally as Hull University, is an English university, founded in 1927, located in Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire...
obtaining a BSc
BSC
BSC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Science and technology* Bachelor of Science , an undergraduate degree* Base Station Controller, part of a mobile phone network; see: Base Station subsystem...
(external degree of the University of London) in 1954.He obtained his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
at the same institution, (by then Hull University) in 1957. He went to the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
for post-doctoral work, and was appointed Lecturer in the Department of Zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
and Comparative Physiology
Comparative physiology
Comparative physiology is a subdiscipline of physiology that studies and exploits the diversity of functional characteristics of various kinds of organisms. It is closely related to evolutionary physiology and environmental physiology. Many universities offer undergraduate courses that cover...
in 1959. He worked for a year at Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
then returned to Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
as a Senior Lecturer in 1968, a position he held until 1987. His former students include Sir Paul Nurse
Paul Nurse
Sir Paul Maxime Nurse, PRS is a British geneticist and cell biologist. He was awarded the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Leland H. Hartwell and R...
winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
for Medicine, and Dr Arthur Jones, a proponent of intelligent design
Intelligent design
Intelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
. In 1974 the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
awarded him a DSc
DSC
-in academia:* D.Sc., Doctor of Science* Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine* Dalton State College, Georgia* Daytona State College, Florida* Deep Springs College, California* Dixie State College of Utah...
for his work.
During 1987 to 1989 he was Senior Embryological Advisor and Manager of Laboratories at the IVF/Infertility Clinic of a London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
private hospital. During 1995 to 1996 he was Visiting Professor at the Weizmann Institute, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. From 1996 to 2000 he was a consultant at the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
jointly to the Ecosystems Unit of the Biology Dept and the Mathematics Institute. He is currently an Honorary Professor at the Mathematics Institute of the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
and a Visiting Professor at Durham Business School.
He has published in prestigious journals such as Nature
Nature (journal)
Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
and written textbooks such as Living Embryos - an Introduction to the Study of Animal Development (1967) and Reproduction (1977). His theory of sperm redundancy
Sperm competition
Sperm competition is a term used to refer to the competitive process between spermatozoa of two different males to fertilize an egg of a lone female. Competition occurs whenever females engage in promiscuous mating to increase their chances in producing more viable offspring...
has been important in studies of fertility and treatment of infertility. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Biology
Institute of Biology
The Institute of Biology was a professional body for biologists, primarily those working in the United Kingdom. The Institute was founded in 1950 by the Biological Council: the then umbrella body for Britain's many learned biological societies...
.
Other activities
Cohen has worked as a consultant for science fiction television shows and science fictionScience fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novels regarding the creation of plausible alien
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
s. The writers who have acknowledged his assistance include Anne McCaffrey
Anne McCaffrey
Anne Inez McCaffrey was an American-born Irish writer, best known for her Dragonriders of Pern series. Over the course of her 46 year career she won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award...
for the Dragonriders of Pern
Dragonriders of Pern
Dragonriders of Pern is a science fiction series written primarily by the late American-Irish author Anne McCaffrey, who initiated it in 1967. Beginning 2003, her middle child Todd McCaffrey has written Pern novels, both solo and jointly with Anne. The series comprises 22 novels and several short...
; Larry Niven
Larry Niven
Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
, Jerry Pournelle
Jerry Pournelle
Jerry Eugene Pournelle is an American science fiction writer, essayist and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte and has since 1998 been maintaining his own website/blog....
and Steven Barnes
Steven Barnes
Steven Barnes is an African American science fiction writer, lecturer, creative consultant, and human performance technician....
for their Legacy of Heorot
The Legacy of Heorot
The Legacy of Heorot is a science fiction novel written in 1987 by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, and Steven Barnes. Reproduction and fertility expert Dr Jack Cohen acted as a consultant on the book, designing the novel life cycle of the alien antagonists, the grendels.This is the first book in the...
; James White
James White (author)
James White was a Northern Irish author of science fiction novellas, short stories and novels. He was born in Belfast and returned there after spending his early years in Canada. After a few years in the clothing industry, he worked at Short Brothers Ltd. from 1965 until taking early retirement in...
of Sector General
Sector General
Sector General is a series of twelve science fiction books and various short stories by the Northern Irish author James White. The series derives its name from the setting of the majority of the books, the Sector 12 General Hospital, a huge hospital space station located in deep space, designed to...
fame;David Gerrold
David Gerrold
Jerrold David Friedman , better known by his pen name David Gerrold, is an American science fiction author who started his career in 1966 while a college student by submitting an unsolicited story outline for the television series Star Trek. He was invited to submit several premises, and the one...
for the Chtorr ecology; and Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett
Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
for several works.
Cohen and fellow University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
researcher Ian Stewart
Ian Stewart (mathematician)
Ian Nicholas Stewart FRS is a professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick, England, and a widely known popular-science and science-fiction writer. He is the first recipient of the , awarded jointly by the LMS and the IMA for his work on promoting mathematics.-Biography:Stewart was born...
, a mathematician, collaborated with Terry Pratchett to write three Science of Discworld books, which accompany his Discworld series. Pratchett made them both "Honorary Wizards of the Unseen University" at the same 1999 ceremony where the University of Warwick gave Pratchett an honorary degree. Anne McCaffrey dedicated All the Weyrs of Pern (1991) to Jack and Judy Cohen and credited Jack with making fact of her fiction.
Cohen and Stewart have also co-authored books on epistemology.
Jack Cohen is a member of the high IQ society Mensa
Mensa International
Mensa is the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test...
. He was one of the small group of British Mensans who persuaded science fiction author Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
to visit the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in June 1974.http://www.andrew-may.com/asf/asimov.htm
He has a long standing interest in the design and natural balance of (particularly manmade) lake ecosystems, having designed new filtration systems but also led in reinstating Victorian designed systems at various locations around the UK.
In 2009, he became a patron
Patrón
Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila produced in Mexico and sold in hand-blown, individually numbered bottles.Made entirely from Blue Agave "piñas" , Patrón comes in five varieties: Silver, Añejo, Reposado, Gran Patrón Platinum and Gran Patrón Burdeos. Patrón also sells a tequila-coffee blend known...
of the anti-circumcision charity NORM-UK
NORM-UK
NORM-UK is a British-based charity concerned with foreskin health and matters related to circumcision. It provides information about conservative treatments for foreskin problems including phimosis, non-surgical foreskin restoration, and hosts and participates in conferences about genital...
.
His hobbies, according to the author profiles in his books, include boomerang
Boomerang
A boomerang is a flying tool with a curved shape used as a weapon or for sport.-Description:A boomerang is usually thought of as a wooden device, although historically boomerang-like devices have also been made from bones. Modern boomerangs used for sport are often made from carbon fibre-reinforced...
-throwing and keeping strange animals.
Books
- The Science of DiscworldThe Science of DiscworldThe Science of Discworld is a 1999 book by novelist Terry Pratchett and popular science writers Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen. Two sequels, The Science of Discworld II: The Globe and The Science of Discworld III: Darwin's Watch, have been written by the same authors.The book alternates between a...
, with Ian StewartIan Stewart (mathematician)Ian Nicholas Stewart FRS is a professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick, England, and a widely known popular-science and science-fiction writer. He is the first recipient of the , awarded jointly by the LMS and the IMA for his work on promoting mathematics.-Biography:Stewart was born...
and Terry PratchettTerry PratchettSir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels... - The Science of Discworld II: The GlobeThe Science of Discworld II: The GlobeThe Science of Discworld II: The Globe is a 2002 book written by the novelist Terry Pratchett and the popular science writers Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen...
, with Ian StewartIan Stewart (mathematician)Ian Nicholas Stewart FRS is a professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick, England, and a widely known popular-science and science-fiction writer. He is the first recipient of the , awarded jointly by the LMS and the IMA for his work on promoting mathematics.-Biography:Stewart was born...
and Terry PratchettTerry PratchettSir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels... - The Science of Discworld III: Darwin's WatchThe Science of Discworld III: Darwin's WatchThe Science of Discworld III: Darwin's Watch is a book set on the Discworld, by Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen. It is the sequel to The Science of Discworld and The Science of Discworld II: The Globe....
, with Ian StewartIan Stewart (mathematician)Ian Nicholas Stewart FRS is a professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick, England, and a widely known popular-science and science-fiction writer. He is the first recipient of the , awarded jointly by the LMS and the IMA for his work on promoting mathematics.-Biography:Stewart was born...
and Terry PratchettTerry PratchettSir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels... - Figments of RealityFigments of RealityFigments of Reality: The Evolution of the Curious Mind is a book about the evolution of the intelligent and conscious human mind by biologist Jack Cohen and mathematician Ian Stewart....
, with Ian StewartIan Stewart (mathematician)Ian Nicholas Stewart FRS is a professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick, England, and a widely known popular-science and science-fiction writer. He is the first recipient of the , awarded jointly by the LMS and the IMA for his work on promoting mathematics.-Biography:Stewart was born...
(non-fiction) - The Collapse of ChaosThe Collapse of ChaosThe Collapse of Chaos: discovering simplicity in a complex world is a book about chaos theory written by biologist Jack Cohen and mathematician Ian Stewart....
, with Ian StewartIan Stewart (mathematician)Ian Nicholas Stewart FRS is a professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick, England, and a widely known popular-science and science-fiction writer. He is the first recipient of the , awarded jointly by the LMS and the IMA for his work on promoting mathematics.-Biography:Stewart was born...
(non-fiction) - Evolving the Alien: The Science of Extraterrestrial Life, with Ian StewartIan Stewart (mathematician)Ian Nicholas Stewart FRS is a professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick, England, and a widely known popular-science and science-fiction writer. He is the first recipient of the , awarded jointly by the LMS and the IMA for his work on promoting mathematics.-Biography:Stewart was born...
. The American and second editions were published as What Does a Martian Look Like? The Science of Extraterrestrial Life - WheelersWheelers (novel)Wheelers is a science fiction novel authored by English mathematician Ian Stewart and reproductive biologist Jack Cohen, figures notable for both their personal scholarly work and numerous individual and collaborative contributions to the world of science fiction...
, with Ian StewartIan Stewart (mathematician)Ian Nicholas Stewart FRS is a professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick, England, and a widely known popular-science and science-fiction writer. He is the first recipient of the , awarded jointly by the LMS and the IMA for his work on promoting mathematics.-Biography:Stewart was born...
(fiction) - HeavenHeaven (novel)Heaven is a science fiction novel written by Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen. It was first published in 2004....
(fiction), with Ian StewartIan Stewart (mathematician)Ian Nicholas Stewart FRS is a professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick, England, and a widely known popular-science and science-fiction writer. He is the first recipient of the , awarded jointly by the LMS and the IMA for his work on promoting mathematics.-Biography:Stewart was born...
, ISBN 0-446-52983-4, Aspect (May 2004) - Living Embryos, Pergamon (1967)
- Reproduction, Butterworths (1977)
- Spermatozoa, Antibodies and Infertility (1978) with W. F. Hendry
- Living Embryos (1981) with B. D. Massey
- Animal Reproduction: parents making parents (1984) with B. D. Massey
- The Privileged Ape (1989)
- Stop Working and Start Thinking (2000) with Graham Medley
External links
- Dr. Jack Cohen official website
- Jack Cohen: books and SF Convention talks
- Terry Pratchett Receives Honorary Degree from University of Warwick —with his "Wizard Making" of Jack Cohen and Ian Stewart at the University of Warwick
- The kohanim: interview with Jack Cohen and Ian Stewart on the kohanim and genetics
- Podcast of debate at University of Warwick on Intelligent Design between Steve Fuller and Jack Cohen