Alexander von Humboldt
At a glance:
- Series: Dictionary of World Biography: The 19th Century
- Categories: Science, Geography
- Subcategories: Biology, Biologists, Scientists, Earth Sciences, Explorers, Plants, Botany, Horticulture, Natural History
- Curriculum: 19th Century European History, 18th Century European History, German History
Article abstract: Humboldt, a native of Germany, undertook a famous four-year expedition to the Americas. The outcome of this expedition was the new sciences of geography, plant geography, and meteorology. Humboldt insisted on seeing a geographical site as a whole including climate, elevation, and distribution of plants, animals, and natural resources. He was one of the founders of modern science and scientific methods.
Early Life
The Humboldt family was, at the time of Alexander von Humboldt’s birth, not part of the ancient Prussian nobility. The...
[The entire page is 1867 words long]