nPostednon September 14, 2014
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| Nobody ever seems to mention that Humboldt was a darned good artist. But since this is a self- portrait, I’d say he was really good! |
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nTodaynis the birthday of “the greatest scientific traveller who ever lived” – according to a guy who was a pretty amazingnscientific traveler himself, Charles Darwin!
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nAlexandernvon Humboldt, who was born on this date in 1769 in Berlin (which wasnat that time in Prussia), became a geographer, naturalist, andnexplorer. He traveled in Europe, Latin America, and Russia. (For morenon his Russian explorations, check out this earlier post.)
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nHenended up becoming one of the most famous men in Europe and was heapednwith praise and honors for his discoveries and ideas.
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| Another drawing by Humboldt that demonstrates his superior art skills. I guess it was important for scientists to be good at drawing what they saw… back when there was no such thing as photography! |
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nSomenof the species Humboldt described—plants and animals that were previouslynunknown to European scientists—are named after Humboldt, as arenmany geographical features such as harbors, currents, glaciers,nmountains, and rivers. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation wasncreated after the great scientist’s death in order to encouragenyoung-and-struggling scientists. People as varied as Latin Americann“Liberator” Simon Bolivar and author Edgar Allan Poe joinednCharles Darwin in singing Humboldt’s praises.
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nTwonBig Ideas
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| Drawing by Humboldt |
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nHumboldtnis considered the “father of physical geography,” and he favoredna holistic view of nature and interrelated sciences, includingnbiology, meteorology, and geology. This viewpoint is the precursor ofnenvironmental science, which looks at both the nonliving and livingnparts of the environment and explains whole systems and habitats.
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nHumboldtnwas also one of the first to suggest that the lands bordering thenAtlantic Ocean were once joined, pointing out the way that Africa andnSouth America seem to fit together. n
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nAlsonon this date:
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SannJacinto Day in Nicaragua
SannJacinto Day in Nicaraguan
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nAnniversarynof the completion of the first North American lighthouse
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nAnniversarynof the completion of Handel’s Messiah
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nSeptembern holidays
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nSeptembern birthdays
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- Historicaln anniversaries in September
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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