Historical montage showing scenes from the life of Alexander von Humboldt (1769 -1859). Humboldt was a Prussian geographer, naturalist and explorer. His quantitative work on botanical geography laid the foundation for the field of biogeography. Between 1799 and 1804, Humboldt travelled extensively in Latin America, exploring and describing it for the first time in a manner generally considered to be a modern scientific point of view. He was one of the first to propose that the lands bordering the Atlantic Ocean were once joined (South America and Africa in particular). Later, his five-volume work, Kosmos (1845), attempted to unify the various branches of scientific knowledge.

One man first recognized man-made Climate Change inspired Charles Darwin’s journey into the Galapagos and revolutionized the concept of nature while braving the wilds of 19th century Central & South America.

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Alexander von Humboldt set off to survey the new world, scaling volcanoes, exploring jungles, and changing scientific thought. His radical theory that nature was a complex and interconnected global force and not merely a tool for human civilization laid the foundation of environmentalism.

Along with his theories, he was the first to suggest that South America was once connected to Africa and the first to propose that human activity could explain changes in the earth’s climate – which he reiterated in 1800 and 1831.

Charles Darwin would cite Humboldt as his primary influence for pursuing a vocation in Biology, leading to his theory of evolution. Humboldt’s influence extended across disciplines, placing him in social circles with Goethe, Schiller, and Thomas Jefferson.

Even today, he is a significant influencer in biogeography, environmentalism, ecology, evolution, and many more.

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1.) Alexander von Humboldt. Wikipedia.