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BIOGRAPHIES OF GREAT SCIENTISTS
Humboldt Friedrich Heinrich Alexander von. Biography of a scientist
Directory / Biographies of great scientists
Friedrich Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt was born on September 14, 1769 in Berlin. He spent his childhood with his older brother Wilhelm in Tegel. The conditions under which they grew up and were brought up were the most favorable for development. Both boys received home education. Science was difficult for Alexander. He had a good memory, but he did not differ in quickness of thought and was far behind Wilhelm in this respect, who grasped any object easily and quickly. In 1783, the brothers, together with their tutor, moved to Berlin. It was necessary to expand their education, for which various scientists were invited. Private lectures and life in Berlin continued until 1787, when both brothers went to Frankfurt an der Oder to enter the university there. Wilhelm entered the Faculty of Law, and Alexander entered the Cameral Faculty. Alexander stayed at Frankfurt University for only a year. Then he spent about a year in Berlin, studying technology, Greek and botany. Alexander's studies had an encyclopedic character. Classical literature, history, natural science, mathematics interested him to the same extent. Humboldt remained at the University of Göttingen until 1790. Then his independent studies began. In March 1790, he undertook a journey with Forster from Mainz along the Rhine to Holland, from there to England and France. The desire to get to know geology and the fame of the Freiberg Mining Academy drew him to Freiberg, where he went in 1791. Here the famous Werner, the head of the Neptunist school, read geology. After he left Freiberg, Humboldt's academic years ended, since in 1792 his career began. At this time he was 23 years old. Alexander's abilities now showed themselves in full brilliance. He possessed extensive and versatile knowledge, spoke several languages, published a number of independent studies on geology, botany and physiology, and pondered plans for future travels. In the spring of 1792, Humboldt received a position as an assessor of the mining department in Berlin, and in August he was appointed oberbergmeister (chief of mining) in Ansbach and Bayreuth, with a salary of 400 thalers. The occupations associated with this position fully coincided with the desires of Humboldt, who was deeply interested in mineralogy and geology. The constant traveling that his position demanded had the value of preparing for future travels. The largest work of this period was the extensive research with electricity on animals, undertaken by Humboldt after familiarizing him with Galvani's discovery. The result of these studies was a two-volume essay "Experiments on irritated muscle and nerve fibers", published only in 1797-1799. Some of these experiments were carried out by him on his own body with the assistance of Dr. Schallern: Humboldt's back served as the object of research, wounds were specially made on it and then they were galvanized in various ways. Schallern watched the results, since Humboldt, of course, could only feel them. Alexander spent the winter of 1797/1798 in Salzburg, doing geological and meteorological research. In 1799 Humboldt went on a long journey through South America and Mexico. Only on August 3, 1804, after almost five years in America, Humboldt landed in Bordeaux. The results of the trip were impressive. Before Humboldt, only one point inside South America - Quito - was accurately determined astronomically; its geological structure was completely unknown. Humboldt determined the latitude and longitude of many points, made about 700 hypsometric measurements (measurement of heights), that is, he created the geography and orography of the area, studied its geology, collected data on the country's climate and clarified its distinctive features. He also managed to collect huge botanical and zoological collections - about four thousand species of plants alone, including one thousand eight hundred new to science. The connection of the Amazon and Orinoco systems was proved, the maps of the flow of both rivers were corrected and replenished; the direction of some mountain ranges was determined and new ones, hitherto unknown, were discovered, the distribution of mountains and lowlands was clarified; mapped sea current along the western coast of America, called the Humboldt. He did not disregard ethnography, archeology, history, languages, the political state of countries: on all these subjects, the richest material was collected, subsequently developed partly by Humboldt himself, partly by his collaborators. Humboldt decided to stay in Paris to study and publish the material he had collected. The publication of An American Journey took many years and the cooperation of many scholars. Humboldt himself took upon himself mainly the general conclusions, the staff processed the factual material. The first volume appeared in 1807, the last in 1833. The entire edition consists of 30 volumes, contains 1425 tables. In 1805 - Humboldt went to Italy, to his brother. In 1806-1807 he lived in Berlin, and then asked the Prussian king to let him live in Paris and received permission. After that, he lived in France for almost twenty years (1809-1827), leaving it only occasionally and briefly. Stay in the "capital of the world" was devoted almost exclusively to work. Humboldt got up at about 7 o'clock in the morning, at 8 he went to his friend F. Arago or to the institute, where he worked until 11-12 o'clock, then had a quick breakfast and went back to work. At about seven in the evening the scientist dined, after dinner he visited friends and salons. He returned home only around midnight and again worked until two, or even until half past three. Thus, for sleep there were 4-5 hours a day. "Periodical sleep is considered an outdated superstition in the Humboldt family," he used to say jokingly. He led such an active lifestyle until his death and, most surprising of all, he always remained healthy and strong physically and mentally. This period of his activity can be called the period of discoveries, the subsequent years of his life were devoted mainly to the continuation and development of previously made research. Humboldt's works represent such an extensive encyclopedia of natural science, all of them are connected into one whole by the idea of a physical world description. Even during his service as Oberbergmeister, Humboldt began research on the chemical composition of the air. Later they were continued together with Gay-Lussac and led to the following results: the composition of the atmosphere generally remains constant; the amount of oxygen in the air is twenty-one percent; the air does not contain a noticeable admixture of hydrogen. This was the first accurate study of the atmosphere, and later work confirmed these data in essential terms. Humboldt devoted a number of studies to air temperature, but in order to discover the causes of temperature differences, it was necessary to have a picture of the distribution of heat on the globe and a method for further developing this picture. Humboldt fulfilled this dual task by establishing the so-called isotherms - lines connecting places with the same average temperature for a certain period of time. The work on isotherms served as the basis for comparative climatology, and Humboldt can be considered the creator of this most complex and difficult branch of natural science. The distribution of plants on the globe is so strictly dependent on the distribution of heat and other climatic conditions that only having a picture of climates can one think of establishing plant regions. Before Humboldt, botanical geography as a science did not exist. Humboldt's works created this science, determined the content of an already existing term. Humboldt laid the climatic principle at the basis of botanical geography. He pointed out an analogy between the gradual change in vegetation from the equator to the pole and from the foot of the mountains to the top. The scientist characterized the vegetation belts, alternating as you climb to the top of the mountain or when moving from the equator to the northern latitudes, made the first attempt to divide the globe into botanical regions. Humboldt discovered relative changes in the composition of the flora, the predominance of certain plants in parallel with climatic conditions. The principle established by Humboldt remains the guiding principle of this science, and although his writings are outdated, he will forever remain the glory of the founder of botanical geography. He made several important discoveries while conducting research on terrestrial magnetism. Humboldt was the first to actually prove that the intensity of terrestrial magnetism varies in different latitudes, decreasing from the poles to the equator. He also owns the discovery of sudden perturbations of the magnetic needle ("magnetic storms"), which, as later studies have shown, occur simultaneously in different parts of the globe under the influence of still unexplained reasons. Further, he discovered a secondary deviation of the magnetic needle during the day. The arrow does not remain motionless, but moves first in one direction, then in the opposite direction. Humboldt showed that this phenomenon is repeated twice during the day. He also showed that the magnetic equator (the line connecting the points where the magnetic needle is horizontal) does not coincide with the astronomical one. In the work undertaken with Biot, he tried to determine the magnetic equator, but the lack of data led the authors to assume here a much greater correctness than exists in reality. At the beginning of the 19th century, geology was just beginning to develop. Being at the beginning of his activity a supporter of Werner, Humboldt subsequently became one of the main engines of the plutonian theory. Humboldt contributed to its celebration, mainly with his research on volcanoes. Numerous and varied scientific works did not prevent Humboldt from being interested in politics, court news, and even, simply speaking, gossip and trivia, known as the "news of the day." In the salons, he shone not only with learning, eloquence and wit, but also with knowledge of all sorts of anecdotes and trifles that occupied society. The Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm III was personally disposed towards Humboldt, loved his conversation and valued his company. In 1826 he invited his learned friend to move to Berlin. In the very first year of his life in Berlin, he gave a number of public lectures "on the physical description of the world." The lectures attracted many listeners. Not only Berliners flocked to them in droves, but also from other European cities came the curious to listen to Humboldt. The king and his family, the most important dignitaries, court ladies, professors and writers were present here, along with countless audiences from the most diverse walks of life. The readings began on November 3, 1827, and ended on April 26, 1828. At the end of the lectures, a specially appointed committee presented Humboldt with a medal with the image of the sun and the inscription "Illuminating the whole world with bright rays." Russian Emperor Nicholas I suggested that the scientist undertake a trip to the East "in the interest of science and the country." Such an offer was most in keeping with Humboldt's wishes, and he, of course, accepted it, asking only for a delay of a year in order to bring to an end some of the work begun and prepare for the journey. On April 12, 1829, Humboldt left Berlin and arrived in St. Petersburg on May 1. From here the travelers went through Moscow and Vladimir to Nizhny Novgorod. From Nizhny, the scientist sailed along the Volga to Kazan, from there to Perm and Yekaterinburg. This is where the real journey began. For several weeks, travelers moved along the Lower and Middle Urals, explored its geology. Humboldt then went to Siberia. Astrakhan became the last point of the trip. Humboldt "did not want to die without seeing the Caspian Sea." From Astrakhan the travelers made a short trip across the Caspian Sea; then they went back to Petersburg, where they arrived on November 13, 1829. Thanks to the conveniences enjoyed by the travelers and their scientific zeal, this expedition produced rich results. For two years the scientist processed the results of the expedition in Paris. Since 1832, Humboldt lived mainly in Berlin, visiting, however, from time to time the "capital of the world" and other European cities. In 1842 he was appointed Chancellor of the "Pour le Merite" order, established by Frederick II to reward military merit. Frederick William IV gave him the civil class. The order was to be given to the greatest representatives of science, art and literature in Germany and Europe. Humboldt received countless awards and distinctions showered upon him by governments and academic institutions. His name is immortalized on geographical maps, in textbooks of zoology and botany, etc. Many rivers and mountains bear his name. It is hardly possible to name another scientist who enjoyed such popularity. He was, as it were, the sun of the scientific world, to which all great and small figures of science were drawn. They went to bow to him, like pious Catholics to the pope. They went to Berlin on purpose to see Alexander Humboldt - "to kiss the papal shoe." Among the public, his fame was supported by public writings. This side of his activity finally culminated in the long-conceived "Cosmos". Kosmos represents the body of knowledge of the first half of the 19th century and, most preciously, the body compiled by a specialist, because Humboldt was a specialist in all fields except perhaps higher mathematics. It's almost unbelievable, but it's true. But only in 1845 did the first volume of Cosmos finally come out. The fifth was not completed, and work on it was cut short along with life. Unusual activity and mental stress, it seemed, should have weakened his physical and spiritual strength. But nature made an exception for him. In the last years of his life, approaching the age of ninety, he led the same active lifestyle as he once did in Paris. Humboldt died on May 6, 1859. Author: Samin D.K.
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