Paolo Lioy (31 July 1834, Vicenza – 27 January 1911, Vancimuglio di Grumolo delle Abbadesse) was an Italian naturalist, redshirt patriot and politician.

In 1853 he demonstrated his childhood interest in the natural sciences, by taking part in the reorganization of collections of the natural history section of Museo naturalistico archeologico in Vicenza [1] At this time he was also engaged in writing articles and political activism in favor of the unification of Italy.

In 1859 he published La vita nell'universo (Life in the universe), the first of his several popular science books and translated into French.

In 1864 he began excavations in the valleys around Arcugnano, looking for remains of prehistoric settlements, thus giving rise to a series of archaeological finds that continued in the next century, well after his death.

For his calling for a general audience and literary abilities, Paolo Lioy was nicknamed by his contemporaries "il poeta della natura" (the poet of nature).