Although they were contemporaries and shared a common interest in natural history, their paths never crossed. Charles Darwin was born in 1809, while Alexander von Humboldt was already an established scientist and explorer by that time. Humboldt, who was born in 1769, had already made significant contributions to the fields of geology, botany, and geography, and had embarked on his famous scientific expedition to South America in 1799, many years before Darwin began his own scientific career. Although they never met in person, Darwin was certainly familiar with Humboldt‘s work and was influenced by his ideas about the natural world.
In fact, Darwin is known to have read and admired Humboldt’s book “Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of America”, which chronicled his experiences during his South American expedition.
—
Illustrating Nature. The World Through the Eyes of Alexander von Humboldt
No products in the cart. 