Elof Axel Carlson

Elof Axel Carlson (1931 – December 17, 2025) was an American geneticist who was a distinguished teaching professor emeritus at State University of New York at Stony Brook, as well as being a historian of science. Carlson earned his B.A. in 1953 from New York University, and his PhD in 1958 in zoology from Indiana University Bloomington under the mentorship of Hermann Joseph Muller. Carlson was a past recipient of the E. Harris Harbison Award for excellence in teaching given by the Danforth Foundation.

Carlson was a visiting professor at the University of Minnesota, San Diego State University, and Tougaloo College. He was also a McMurrin Visiting Professor at the University of Utah. He also taught on several voyages of Semester at Sea.

Carlson died in Vancouver, Washington, on December 17, 2025, at the age of 94.

Bibliography

• The Gene: a Critical History (1989)
• Genes, Radiation, and Society. The Life and Work of H. J. Muller (Cornell Univ. Press, 1981)
• The Unfit: A history of a bad idea (2001)
• Mendel's Legacy: The origin of classical genetics (2004)
• Times of Triumph, Times of Doubt: Science And the Battle for Public Trust (2006)
• Neither Gods Nor Beasts: How Science is changing who we think we are (2008)
• Mutation: The History of an Idea from Darwin to Genomics (2011)
• The 7 Sexes: Biology of Sex Determination (2013) (cl: alk. paper); (eb)
• How Scientific Progress Occurs Incrementalism and the Life Sciences (2018) (hardcover)
• How to Construct your Intellectual Pedigree A History of Mentoring in Science (2021) (hardcover)
• What Is Science A Guide for Those Who Love It, Hate It, or Fear It (2021) (hardcover)

Scholarly works co-written

Demerec, M., Kaufmann, B. P., & Carlson, E. A. (1986). Drosophila guide: introduction to the genetics and cytology of Drosophila melanogaster. Washington, D.C.: Carnegie Institute of Washington.

References