Michael Boulter
- December 4, 2025
- 83 years
About Michael Boulter
Michael Boulter, 83, British paleontologist.
Explore other notable deaths in 2025 or deaths in December 2025.
The Deaths Archive presents
How well do you know Michael Boulter?
Explore their life. Test your knowledge. Beat the challenge.
10 questions · One legacy · How much do you really know?
Challenge your friends
Play together in real-time.
Advertisement
Full Biography
|Michael Charles Boulter (22 November 1942 – 4 December 2025) was a British professor for paleobiology at the Natural History Museum and the University of East London.
Boulter studied botany, geology, and chemistry at the University College London. He taught paleobiology at the University of East London from 1989 to 2002. He served as editor to the Palaeontological Association (1975–81), secretary to the International Organisation of Palaeobotany (1981–2002) and UK representative at the International Union of Biological Sciences. In 2002 he became notable for his book "Extinction: Evolution and the End of Man" where he explained that humankind may be closer to extinction than previously believed. Together with Michael Benton and about 100 other scientists he launched the project "Fossil Record 2", the world's largest database with fossil remains from the past 500 million years.
Boulter died on 4 December 2025.
Selected works
- 1971: A palynological study of two of the Neogene plant beds in Derbyshire. Bulletin of the British Museum Natural History 19, 359–410.
- 1971: with P.T. Walsh et al. The Brassington Formation: a newly recognised Tertiary formation. Nature 231, 134–136.
- 1972: with P.T. Walsh et al. Preservation of Neogene Pocket Deposits of the southern Pennines and their bearing on the evolution of upland Britain. J. Geological Society 128, 519–559.
- 1978: with D. Curry et al. A Correlation of the Tertiary Rocks of the British Isles. Geological Society of London 83pp.
- 1980: with G.C. Wilkinson. Oligocene pollen and spores from the western part of the British Isles. Palaeontographica B 175, 27–83.
- 1981: with M.E. Collinson et al. Floristic changes indicate a cooling climate in the Eocene of southern England. Nature 291, 315–317.
- 1983: with RN.L.B. Hubbard. Reconstruction of Palaeogene climate from palynological evidence. Nature 301, 147–150.
- 1988: with R.A. Spicer et al. Patterns of plant extinction from some palaeobotanical evidence. In: Fossils and Climate, OUP. 1–36.
- 1989: with Z. Kvacek. The Palaeocene Flora of the Isle of Mull. Sp. Pap. Palaeontology 41, 249pp.
- 1994: with H. Fisher (Eds.) Cenozoic Plants and Climates of the Arctic (Nato a S I Series Series I, Global Environmental Change, Springer Verlag. 401pp.
- 1997: A Lost Continent in a Temperate Arctic. Endeavour 21, 105–8.
- 1999: with D. Hewzulla et al. Evolutionary patterns from mass originations and mass extinctions. Proceedings Royal Society B 354, 463–9.
- 2002: Extinction: Evolution and the End of Man. Fourth Estate, 210pp.
- 2002: with J.-F. Manen. The complex history of the genus Ilex. Plant Systematics Evolution 235, 79–98.
- 2008: Darwin's Garden - Down House and The Origin of Species. Constable, 251pp.
- 2017: Bloomsbury Scientists: Science and Art in the Wake of Darwin. UCL Press, 175pp.
References and external links
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Interactive
Test Your Knowledge – Trivia Challenge
How well do you know this person's life and legacy?
No account needed to play. Sign in to keep your score on the leaderboard.
Books & Media
Find books, audiobooks and films about Michael Boulter on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Boulter
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Michael Boulter's archived record and the sources above.
1.What was the date of birth of Michael Charles Boulter?
- A.15 October 1942
- B.22 November 1942correct
- C.4 December 2025
- D.22 November 1945
Michael Charles Boulter was born on 22 November 1942.
Source: biography header
2.At which institution did Michael Charles Boulter study botany, geology, and chemistry?
- A.University of East London
- B.University College Londoncorrect
- C.Oxford University
- D.Natural History Museum
Michael Charles Boulter studied botany, geology, and chemistry at the University College London.
Source: biography section
3.How long did Michael Charles Boulter teach paleobiology at the University of East London?
- A.1989 to 2002correct
- B.1981 to 2002
- C.1994 to 2017
- D.1975 to 1981
Michael Charles Boulter taught paleobiology at the University of East London from 1989 to 2002.
Source: biography section
4.What role did Michael Charles Boulter serve for the International Organisation of Palaeobotany?
- A.Editor
- B.Secretarycorrect
- C.Treasurer
- D.President
Michael Charles Boulter served as secretary to the International Organisation of Palaeobotany from 1981 to 2002.
Source: biography section
5.Which project did Michael Charles Boulter launch alongside Michael Benton and other scientists?
- A.The Origin of Species
- B.Cenozoic Plants and Climates
- C.The Palaeocene Flora
- D.Fossil Record 2correct
Michael Charles Boulter launched the project Fossil Record 2, the world's largest database with fossil remains from the past 500 million years.
Source: biography section
6.What is the subject of Michael Charles Boulter's 2002 book 'Extinction: Evolution and the End of Man'?
- A.The evolution of plant species
- B.The discovery of fossil records in Derbyshire
- C.The possibility that humankind is close to extinctioncorrect
- D.The history of London geography
In 2002, Michael Charles Boulter wrote Extinction: Evolution and the End of Man, where he explained that humankind may be closer to extinction than previously believed.
Source: biography section
7.When did Michael Charles Boulter pass away?
- A.22 November 2025
- B.22 November 2024
- C.4 December 2025correct
- D.4 December 2024
Michael Charles Boulter died on 4 December 2025.
Source: biography section
8.What was the specific subject of the 1971 work published by Michael Charles Boulter in the Bulletin of the British Museum Natural History?
- A.Neogene plant beds in Derbyshirecorrect
- B.The Palaeocene Flora of the Isle of Mull
- C.Oligocene pollen and spores
- D.The genus Ilex
In 1971, Michael Charles Boulter published A palynological study of two of the Neogene plant beds in Derbyshire.
Source: selected works
9.What position did Michael Charles Boulter hold at the Palaeontological Association from 1975 to 1981?
- A.Researcher
- B.Editorcorrect
- C.Secretary
- D.President
Michael Charles Boulter served as editor to the Palaeontological Association from 1975 to 1981.
Source: biography section
10.With whom did Michael Charles Boulter author the 1989 work 'The Palaeocene Flora of the Isle of Mull'?
- A.H. Fisher
- B.M.E. Collinson
- C.P.T. Walsh
- D.Z. Kvacekcorrect
Michael Charles Boulter authored The Palaeocene Flora of the Isle of Mull in 1989 with Z. Kvacek.
Source: selected works
11.In what year was Michael Charles Boulter's work regarding 'Darwin's Garden' published?
- A.2008correct
- B.1997
- C.2002
- D.2017
Michael Charles Boulter published Darwin's Garden - Down House and The Origin of Species in 2008.
Source: selected works
12.What is the primary content of the book 'Bloomsbury Scientists' written by Michael Charles Boulter in 2017?
- A.Science and Art in the Wake of Darwincorrect
- B.Evolutionary patterns from mass extinctions
- C.Palaeogene climate evidence
- D.The complex history of the genus Ilex
Michael Charles Boulter authored Bloomsbury Scientists: Science and Art in the Wake of Darwin in 2017.
Source: selected works
13.Which of these topics was covered in the 1981 work by Michael Charles Boulter and M.E. Collinson?
- A.Tertiary rocks of the British Isles
- B.A lost continent in the Arctic
- C.The evolutionary patterns of mass originations
- D.A cooling climate in the Eocene of southern Englandcorrect
In 1981, Michael Charles Boulter and M.E. Collinson published Floristic changes indicate a cooling climate in the Eocene of southern England.
Source: selected works
14.How many scientists were involved with Michael Charles Boulter in the launch of the project 'Fossil Record 2'?
- A.About 100correct
- B.About 50
- C.About 150
- D.About 200
Together with Michael Benton and about 100 other scientists, Michael Charles Boulter launched the project Fossil Record 2.
Source: biography section
15.What is the primary field of expertise associated with Michael Charles Boulter?
- A.Paleobiologycorrect
- B.Marine biology
- C.Quantum physics
- D.Organic chemistry
Michael Charles Boulter was a British professor for paleobiology.
Source: biography header
16.What institutional affiliation did Michael Charles Boulter hold alongside the University of East London?
- A.Natural History Museumcorrect
- B.British Geological Survey
- C.Royal Society
- D.University College London
Michael Charles Boulter was a professor for paleobiology at the Natural History Museum and the University of East London.
Source: biography section
People who died on December 4
Spotted an error?
Help us keep the archive accurate. Report a correction with a source.
Report an error for Michael Boulter →Advertisement
