Anto Leikola is dead

Anto Leikola was born on June 8, 1937 and died on June 18, 2026 in Helsinki.

Leikola was known as a skillful popularizer of knowledge and a cross of scientific boundaries. He graduated in 1959 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and in 1963 received his doctorate from the University of Helsinki, where he later created a long career.

As a zoologist, he specialized in embryology, and later as a historian in the history of natural sciences. From a three-part series published in the early 1960s Big animal book for this he also Finnished and created new animal names in the Finnish language.

In the years 1969–1972, Leikola headed the non-fiction department of WSOY. After Pest, he changed his field of study and worked first as a temporary administrator of the professorship of the history of philosophy and education at the University of Oulu, and then as a professor of the history of education at the University of Helsinki.

He was one of the founding members of Finnish non-fiction writers and was an honorary member of the association. He was awarded for his work, for example, twice with the state award for information disclosure.

Anto Leikola probably reached the largest audience as a textbook author and especially in the 1970s in televised debates, where he often represented a naturalistic world view while church representatives talked about the views of Christianity.

His father Markus Leikola suspects the first collection of essays to be an exceptionally extensive literary production From the biologist’s world (1968) and the first book of poetry in adulthood Oudeis (2012) to have been closest to their author. Leikola also translated poems by many greats of world literature.

Leikola assisted numerous newspapers, including Helsingin Sanomi for a long time. A book compiled from HS columns Creatures and sprouts published in 1980. Supervisor– magazine’s editorship formed one of his most central communities.

“Father was an exceptional naturalist because he was also a man of letters by heart and blood. He was also very interested in the biology of imaginary and mythological animals. ‘Could, for example, unicorns develop through evolution?’ he asked”, Leikola recalls.

“About my father’s childhood friends Pentti Saarikoski decided as a high school student to become Finland’s best poet and Matti Klinge to become a historian. These wishes came true surprisingly well, but my father was a generalist, he didn’t want to decide on one area of ​​specialization.”

Adjustment 30.6. at 4:28 p.m.: The summary of the article incorrectly stated that Anto Leikola had died at the age of 88. He was 89 years old when he died.