Today's #GeoAdvent goodie is some edited highlights of the life of the ‘founder of physical geography’ Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859). #LoveGeography #PhysicalGeographer #Biogeography #Prussia #SouthAmerica #explorer #climatology #Enlightenment /1

Born into a noble Prussian family, Alexander’s father died at an early age, Alexander and his brother Wilhelm’s education was left in the hands of a very strict Huguenot mother who hired excellent private tutors /2

After studies at #Freiberg Academy of Mines, Humboldt became a (government) mining inspector. He paid from his own pocket for a free school for miners. He also studied plant growth in poor light /3

The fortune von Humboldt inherited on his mother’s death allowed him to finance his travels. After gaining permission from the Spanish court, he set sail for the Spanish territories of South America /4

With French botanist and physician Aimé Bonpland, Alexander spent five years exploring the rainforest (quoting from my college notes 'spent 5 years in a tent with Bonpland'...) /5

Among other adventures, they mapped 1,700 miles from the Orinoco to the Amazon, classifying animals including snakes, crocodiles, electric eels, as well as plants (lecture notes: 'survived this' - the horses weren't all as lucky) /6

In the Andes, climbing Mount Chimborazo they made the first scientific description of the relationships between altitude, air temperature and vegetation cover in tropical mountains /7

Travelling by boat parallel to the coast from Lima, Humboldt measured the speed and temperature of the water, recognising the current that now bears his name /8

His 2 volume 'Political Essay on the Kingdom of New Spain' observed the relationship between environment and society in #Mexico and is considered to be the first proper regional geography (image: AvonH on the ruins of the Palace of Mitla in Mexico's Oaxaca province) /9

In addition to writing about natural wonders, Humboldt was a #humanitarian who denounced the horrors of #slavery, the oppression of Indigenous peoples, and the injustices of the #colonial system /10

Alexander von Humboldt kept detailed journals on his travels, amounting to 4,000 pages - all now digitized - which he used for his many publications /11 https://humboldt.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/work/?lang=en 

In his lifetime, Humboldt was one of the most famous men in Europe. He wrote extensively on the harmony and unity of nature, providing a philosophical base for modern #ecology and #sustainablility /12

He was also the first person to describe the phenomenon and cause of human-induced #ClimateChange, based on observations from his travels (image: Lake Valencia, Venezuela) /13

Humboldt's five volume #Kosmos was conceived to communicate the results of his scientific work - he believed that he was in a race with death, finishing Vol I aged 76 and Vol IV at 89. He died aged 90, with Vol V incomplete /14

Humboldt described many geographical features and species hitherto unknown to Europeans, many of which have been named after him, including types of #penguin, #squid, #orchid, #oak, #willow , #RiverDolphin, #HummingBird /15

In addition to the many places and geographical features which bear his name on Earth, two #asteroids and the moon's Mare Humboldtianum have been named in his honour /16