John Zachary Young (18 March, 1907 – 4 July, 1997) was an English zoologist. He was Professor of Anatomy at University College London, 1945-1974, then Professor Emeritus (Hon. Fellow, 1975).

1928 - first class honours degree in zoology - Marlborough College, Magdalen College, Oxford.

Most of his scientific research was on the nervous system. He discovered the giant axon of the squid. However, he is probably best remembered for his two textbooks, The Life of Vertebrates and The Life of Mammals.

1945 - elected a Fellow of the Royal Society

1973 - Linnean Medal (Gold Medal) for Zoology from the Linnean Society of London

He was an enthusiastic rambler, and carried on rambling almost until his death.

Publications

• The Life of Vertebrates, 1950, 3rd ed 1981
• Doubt and Certainty in Science, 1951
• The Life of Mammals, 1957
• A Model of the Brain, 1964
• The Memory System of the Brain, 1966
• An Introduction to the Study of Man, 1971
• The Anatomy of the Nervous System of Octopus vulgaris, 1971
• Programs of the Brain, 1978
• Philosophy and the Brain, 1987
• Many scientific papers, mostly on the nervous system.

Reference

1907 births | 1997 deaths | British zoologists | Fellows of the Royal Society | UCL academics