On April 27, 1947, American forester and conservationist Mollie H. Beattie was born. The first woman Director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Beattie fought to conserve species by managing whole ecosystems rather than waiting until individual species were endangered. “What a country…
On April 24, 1996, Wapusk National Park, an area covering 11,475 km2 (4,430.5 mi2 ), became part of Canada’s National Parks system. Wapusk, “White Bear” in Cree, protects one of the world’s largest polar bear den areas. On the transition between boreal forest and…
On April 23, 1775, Joseph Mallord William Turner was born. English landscape painter and skilled architectural draughtsman, he produced sketches and paintings that capture historical images of landscapes, seascapes, and cityscapes. Attracted to qualities of light, Turner studied its effects on the subjects of…
April 22, Earth Day, is celebrated around the world as tens of millions of people make time to attend their environment. The United Nations calls this International Mother Earth Day because “Mother Earth” is a multi-national common expression used in most cultural references to…
On April 17, 1899, English entomologist Sir Vincent Brian Wigglesworth was born. He created a new science – the study of insect physiology – and researched extensively into the role of hormones in insect growth, metamorphosis, and reproduction. Wigglesworth detailed many physical mechanisms and…
On April 16, 1682, English mathematician and instrument maker John Hadley was born. He developed precision mirrors to improve the accuracy and power of the reflecting telescope. Until Hadley, telescopes used mirrors that were spherical in shape. These were often blurry and/or distorted the…
On April 15, 1452, Leonardo da Vinci was born. Without formal education, he recorded much of his interest in every facet of life and study. He was an observational scientist who tried to understand something by illustrating and describing it, taking joy in quiet,…
On March 14, 1854, German physician, biochemist and bacteriologist Dr. Paul Ehrlich was born. German universities teemed with brilliant doctor-scientist-researchers during Ehrlich’s time. He began as an assistant to bacteriologist Dr. Robert Koch, one of the founders of microbiology, who was only 10 years…
On March 13, 1941, American biophysicist and environmentalist Donella (Dana) Meadows was born. She was a professor of environmental studies at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire. Meadows regarded sustainability as something experienced through living it, an ability she saw in humankind to meet the needs…
On March 8, 1712, English physician and naturalist John Fothergill was born. At the University of Edinburgh, Fothergill moved from studying to become an apothecary to studying medicine, graduating as a doctor. After being licensed to practice in London, he distinguished himself during city…