Dawkins, Richard (1941-...), is one of the United Kingdom's best-known popular scientists. His books about evolutionary biology, which include The Selfish Gene (1976), The Blind Watchmaker (1986), River out of Eden (1995), Climbing Mount Improbable (1996), and Unweaving the Rainbow (1998), became best sellers. He was appointed professor of public understanding of science at Oxford University in 1996.