Humboldt's cosmos : Alexander von Humboldt and the Latin American journey that changed the way we see the world

Alexander von Humboldt was the reigning scientific mind of the early nineteenth century, a unique combination of naturalist and adventurer. With his companion Aimé Bonpland, Humboldt cut a six-thousand-mile swath across the New World, through what is now Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, and Cuba. Risking his life in treacherous terrain, he conducted the first extensive scientific study of the Andes and the Amazon, literally redrawing the map of the Americas and dramatically expanding our knowledge of the natural world. He brought back to Europe more than 60,000 plant specimens and a multitude of exotic New World animals, set an altitude record while climbing the volcano Chimborazo, made revolutionary discoveries regarding volcanoes and the Earth's magnetic field, and introduced millions of Americans and Europeans to the astonishing cultures of the Aztecs and the Incas. At the completion of his epic journey, Humboldt became one of the most celebrated men in the world, feted by Thomas Jefferson in Washington and invited to Napoleon's coronation in Paris. His ideas revolutionized scientific research; laid the groundwork for entire new fields of study, such as climatology, oceanography, and several branches of geography; and his adventures and insights profoundly illustrated followers such as Charles Darwin and Louis Agassiz. Today, more places and geographical features are named after Humboldt than any other historical figure, and scientists continue to build on the foundations he established. A tale of rousing adventure and groundbreaking science, Humboldt's Cosmos is a fascinating portrait of a brilliant mind and a bold spirit whose momentous journey of exploration greatly expanded the scope of his world—and ours. Alexander von Humboldt was the reigning scientific mind of the early nineteenth century, a unique combination of naturalist and adventurer. With his companion Aime Bonpland, Humboldt cut a six-thousand-mile swath across the New World, through what is now Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, and Cuba. Risking his life in treacherous terrain, he conducted the first extensive scientific explorations of the Andes and the Amazon, literally redrawing the map of the Americas and dramatically expanding our knowledge of the natural world. He brought back to Europe more than 60,000 plant specimens and a multitude of exotic New World animals, set an altitude record while climbing the volcano Chimborazo, made revolutionary discoveries regarding volcanoes and the Earth's magnetic field, and introduced millions of Americans and Europeans to the astonishing cultures of the Aztecs and the Incas.

At the completion of his epic journey, Humboldt became one of the most celebrated men in the world, feted by Thomas Jefferson in Washington and invited to Napoleon's coronation in Paris. His ideas revolutionized scientific research; laid the groundwork for entire new fields of study, such as climatology, oceanography, and several branches of geography; and his adventures and insights profoundly influenced followers such as Charles Darwin and Louis Agassiz. Today, more places and geographical features are named after Humboldt than any other historical figure, and scientists continue to build on the foundations he established. A tale of rousing adventure and groundbreaking science, Humboldt's Cosmos is a fascinating portrait of a brilliant mind and a bold spirit whose momentous journey of exploration greatly expanded the scope of his world -- and ours.

The thrilling story of the charismatic explorer who Simon Bolivar called the true discoverer of South America and the daring expedition that altered the course of science. From 1799 to 1804 German naturalist and adventurer Alexander von Humboldt conducted the first extensive scientific exploration of Latin America. At the completion of his arduous 6,000-mile journey, he was feted by Thomas Jefferson and presented to Napoleon, and, with the subsequent publication of his findings, he would be hailed as the greatest scientific genius of his age. Humboldts Cosmos tells the story of this extraordinary man who was equal parts Einstein and Livingstone, and of the adventure that defined his life. Gerard Helferich vividly recounts Humboldts expedition through the Amazon and over the Andes, highlighting his paradigm-changing discoveries along the way. During the course of the expedition, Humboldt cataloged more than 60,000 plants, set an altitude record climbing the volcano Chimborazo, and became the first to study the great cultures of the Aztecs and Incas. In the process, he revolutionized geology and laid the groundwork for modern sciences such as climatology, oceanography, and geographyand his contributions would influence future greats such as Charles Darwin and shape the course of science for centuries to come. Published in time for the bicentennial of the expeditions completion in May 1804, Humboldts Cosmos is a dramatic tribute to one of historys most audacious adventurers, whom Stephen Jay Gould noted may well have been the worlds most famous and influential intellectual. This is the story of the charismatic explorer who Simon Bolivar called "the true discoverer of South America," and of the daring expedition that altered the course of science. Humboldt was the reigning scientific mind of the early 19th century, a unique combination of naturalist and adventurer. On a 6,000-mile journey through what is now Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Mexico and Cuba, risking his life in treacherous terrain, he conducted the first extensive scientific explorations of the Andes and the Amazon, literally redrawing the map and dramatically expanding our knowledge of the natural world. He set an altitude record while climbing Chimborazo, made revolutionary discoveries about volcanoes and the earth's magnetic field, and introduced Americans and Europeans to the cultures of the Aztecs and the Incas. He laid the groundwork for the fields of climatology and oceanography, and profoundly influenced followers such as Darwin and Agassiz.--From publisher description A portrait of German naturalist and adventurer Alexander Humboldt describes his five-year, six-thousand-mile scientific exploration of South America, chronicling his expedition through the Amazon and over the Andes.