Desmond Morris, author of The Naked Ape, dies at 98

British zoologist, writer, and surrealist painter Desmond Morris has died at the age of 98, the BBC reported, citing his son Jason.

Morris was best known for his landmark 1967 book The Naked Ape, a bestselling work that redefined how popular audiences viewed human behavior through the lens of zoology. 

Subtitled A Zoologist’s Study of the Human Animal, the book argued that human social habits, emotions, and sexuality could be understood as patterns shaped by evolutionary ancestry.

The book’s provocative framing, including its title and marketing campaigns featuring nude imagery, sparked widespread public debate at the time. 

While it achieved major commercial success, it also drew criticism from religious and public figures who objected to its frank evolutionary interpretations of human life.

Despite controversy, The Naked Ape established Morris as a leading figure in science communication. 

He later authored sequels and made frequent television appearances, further cementing his reputation as a popular science writer.

Alongside his scientific work, Morris also built a parallel career as a surrealist painter. He often described his life as divided between two creative identities.

“I have always been two people,” Morris said in a 2016 interview with the Institute of Contemporary Arts. 

“I am an objective scientist and then I go into my studio… I become an artist and am irrational in my surrealist work.”

Born in Wiltshire, England, on January 24, 1928, Morris developed early interests in both natural history and art—dual passions that would define his lifelong career.