Description: (American Zoologist and Paleontologist)
Edward Drinker Cope was a prominent American scientist known for his significant contributions to zoology, paleontology, comparative anatomy, herpetology, and ichthyology. Despite his lack of formal scientific training, Cope made a lasting impact on American paleontology through his extensive writing and the discovery of over 1,000 vertebrate species, including fishes and dinosaurs. His career was characterized by intense competition in fossil-finding with his rival Othniel Charles Marsh during the Bone Wars. Cope faced financial struggles but experienced a professional resurgence before his death in 1897.