Sam Matey wrote about Humboldt once I believe. He made a good argument that Humboldt was one of the most interesting and able naturalists to have ever graced the annals of history.
I think I'd go along with that. (But outshone by Charles Darwin coming along a generation later, Darwin being such a towering genius as to leave anybody nearby looking rather smaller than they deserve.) Joseph Banks perhaps comparible, but Banks not a mountaineer at all so far as I'm aware.
A very interesting read. It dovetails well with the account of the climb in Andrea Wulf's The Invention of Nature, but differs in the alleged altitude that was reached before they turned back. Wulf has it from a diary entry at 3036 toises, which would be around 18215 Paris feet. Nevertheless, it was an astounding accomplishment, not only dangerous, but physically devastating. And yet, he even boiled water at a number of different altitudes as they climbed, just to measure boiling points! And so many other experimental activities and specimen gathering. Humboldt is so underrated in our times. Where is he when we need him most?
I took the measurements from his letter (may have slipped on the toises to metres conversion though) but given the timings the actual altitude had to be rather less . But what immediately impresses is the sheer number of plant species recorded on his picture of the two volcanoes. He spotted the match between shapes of Africa and S America and was the first to hypothesise the idea of continental drift. And a crucial forerunner and inspiration to C Darwin. A great scientist who happened to do a bit of mountaineering.
Wulf's book is a great read and males a strong case for Humboldt as one of the real originators of modern science. A massive contributor to several fields, including geography, ecology, and climate science.
Five year field trip! Prof Peter Higgs (him of the boson) was mountain walker in Scotland. Not strictly of today though. Astronomer Royal for Scotland Malcolm Longair has done all the Munros. There will be more. I bet Attenborough's been up a few hills.
Being a fourth tier scientist in the now distant past, I can certainly attest to the attraction the mountains hold for my more distinguished clan members.. a chemist I knew loved nothing better than to scramble in the heights. An erstwhile electrical engineer was positively addicted and had a "Mountains Please" sticker in his back window! And so on....
Sam Matey wrote about Humboldt once I believe. He made a good argument that Humboldt was one of the most interesting and able naturalists to have ever graced the annals of history.
I think I'd go along with that. (But outshone by Charles Darwin coming along a generation later, Darwin being such a towering genius as to leave anybody nearby looking rather smaller than they deserve.) Joseph Banks perhaps comparible, but Banks not a mountaineer at all so far as I'm aware.
Great writing Ronald. You keep up a very high standard of wit and erudition! Thanks.
My erudition is like the Platte River in Nebraska, half a mile wide but only an inch deep. However I don't have a sandy bottom.
One should hope not!
that saved me saying the same - excellent!
A very interesting read. It dovetails well with the account of the climb in Andrea Wulf's The Invention of Nature, but differs in the alleged altitude that was reached before they turned back. Wulf has it from a diary entry at 3036 toises, which would be around 18215 Paris feet. Nevertheless, it was an astounding accomplishment, not only dangerous, but physically devastating. And yet, he even boiled water at a number of different altitudes as they climbed, just to measure boiling points! And so many other experimental activities and specimen gathering. Humboldt is so underrated in our times. Where is he when we need him most?
I took the measurements from his letter (may have slipped on the toises to metres conversion though) but given the timings the actual altitude had to be rather less . But what immediately impresses is the sheer number of plant species recorded on his picture of the two volcanoes. He spotted the match between shapes of Africa and S America and was the first to hypothesise the idea of continental drift. And a crucial forerunner and inspiration to C Darwin. A great scientist who happened to do a bit of mountaineering.
Wulf's book is a great read and males a strong case for Humboldt as one of the real originators of modern science. A massive contributor to several fields, including geography, ecology, and climate science.
I wonder how many great scientists of today can be found crawling around on mountaintops… what a fantastic field trip.
Five year field trip! Prof Peter Higgs (him of the boson) was mountain walker in Scotland. Not strictly of today though. Astronomer Royal for Scotland Malcolm Longair has done all the Munros. There will be more. I bet Attenborough's been up a few hills.
Being a fourth tier scientist in the now distant past, I can certainly attest to the attraction the mountains hold for my more distinguished clan members.. a chemist I knew loved nothing better than to scramble in the heights. An erstwhile electrical engineer was positively addicted and had a "Mountains Please" sticker in his back window! And so on....