Human interactions with fossils run deep.

Humans. Part of the human experience is encompassed by our culture: the hard to pin down norms of society and manifestations of our intellectual achievements. Science is part of that; it's a way of understanding and explaining things, and its really effective. But there are lots of other elements that make up human cultures, and our relationship with the remains of long dead organisms is found in all of these. In this website, by necessity, we will often focus on how the understanding we have today has developed, but we'll also touch on some of these other explanations of, uses for, and thoughts about, fossils, because they are fascinating, and tell us lots about humanity.

Let's go.

Introduction

In this part of the course, we're going to cover:

  • Fossils & folklore – Section 1.
  • Ancient ideas on ancient fossils – Section 2.
  • The age of Enlightenment, and the birth of Palaeontology – Section 3.
  • Victorian Developments – Section 4.
  • The 20th & 21st centuries – Section 5.

Why should we be interested in the history of an area of science? Well, beyond the fact that is is really interesting, knowing how the current state of knowledge in a field has developed is really important context to help us properly understand that discipline, and its current state. Indeed, for any practising scientist, understanding the way a given set of views/hypotheses/theories develops, and eventually either reaches consensus or is chipped away then discarded along the way, is incredibly valuable: it is the landscape within which we operate. History shows us how scientific directions shift through time, sometimes driven by culture as much as evidence, and also helps us understand better how science has shaped society (and of course, how society has shaped science).

While we're here, it's worth noting how strongly some of the contents on my videos are focussed on Northern Europe, and in particular the UK. Whilst some important developments did happen in these regions, there is also a strong bias in what we can find in the written historical record. For example, folklore and culture differs between regions, and in many areas, we just don't have a record of what people thought about fossils. It's important that we remember these biases exist.

1 – Fossils & folklore

Interactions between humans and fossils have existed for millennia outside the framework of scientific enquiry. Let's explore that a little.

Summary

  • For a long time, fossils have been of symbolic or cultural significance to people.
  • Fossils have also been used as medicine throughout the ages.
  • Generally, outside of scientific approaches, we have used folklore to explain the presence of fossils in rocks.
  • By necessity, a number of my videos focus on how we get to where we are today. But there are risks in choosing material this way. Beware Whig history.



2 – Ancient ideas on ancient fossils

What did early scholars say about fossils? In this video we'll meet some key historical figures that considered the nature of fossils.

Summary

  • Early ideas on fossil formation often called upon petrifying fluids.
  • At times, they also recognised that fossils represent once living organisms.
  • With the Renaissance, some ideas reflected slow change over long time periods.
  • Within the educated minority of Europe, for much of of the middle ages and early modern period, explanations of fossils were placed within a Christian biblical framework.

3 – The age of Enlightenment

The roots of geology and palaeontology can be traced back quite deep, but really kick off in a time period called the age of Enlightenment.

Summary

  • The enlightenment was a philosophical movement which dominated scientific thinking and culture in Europe in the 18th century.
  • Enlightenment scholars used reason as source of authority, evidence in science, and aspired towards ideals such as liberty and tolerance.
  • It was in this context that key figures including Robert Hooke, James Hutton, William Smith, and Georges Cuvier established fundamental elements of geology and palaeontology.
  • Mary Anning collected lots of important fossils, but was not recognised for her contributions during her lifetime.

4 – Victorian Developments

In the 19th century, palaeontology came on in leaps and bounds, and was established as an important discipline – and one that caught the imagination of wider society.

Summary

  • This was a time of rapid advancement in Earth Sciences, but also conflicts between big personalities which have shaped elements of our field today.
  • Many of the people who made important contributions also advocated problematic views.
  • By the 1850s, palaeontology was the height of fashion.
  • Women started to break into the academic discipline with official roles at universities and museums.

5 – The 20th & 21st centuries

As we get closer to the present the discipline has become as it is today – palaeontology is a rich and vibrant, interdisciplinary discipline. Let's have a look at some key developments over the last century.

Summary

  • In recent decades, sub-disciplines have formed:
    • The discovery of DNA enabled molecular palaeobiology.
    • Quantitative approaches have allowed the analysis of large-scale patterns in the fossil record.
    • Palaeobiology often includes a focus on the physiology of extinct taxa.
    • Taphonomy uses experiments and analytical chemistry to understand fossil formation.
  • The advent of computers and new analytical techniques have revolutionised the way we study past life in many other ways.

Bonus stuff!

Nice work for making it this far! Here's some bonus materials.

What did Hutton say about evolution?

As I mentioned in the video on the enlightenment, James Hutton actually proposed propose a mechanism akin to natural selection as the driving force behind evolutionary change. But, it did not catch on. In large part that was because it was in a three volume, 2,138 page work, An Investigation of the Principles of Knowledge and of the Progress of Reason, from Sense to Science and Philosophy. It is also written in a fashion that – certainly today, and possibly then – is difficult to follow. See, for example, this passage:

If an organised body is not in the situation and circumstances best adapted to its sustenance and propagation, then, in conceiving an indefinite variety among the individuals of that species, we must be assured, that, on the one hand, those which depart most from the best adapted constitution, will be most liable to perish, while, on the other hand, those organised bodies, which most approach to the best constitution for the present circumstances, will be best adapted to continue, in preserving themselves and multiplying.


Maaaaate, what? If you would like to read further about this, look no further than this overview:

Pearson, P.N., 2003. In retrospect. Nature 425: 665.

And what did David Attenborough have to say in 1989?

In the last video I mentioned a documentary that David Attenborough did with the BBC in 1989 – if you have a TV licence, you can watch it here:

Click here for Lost Worlds and Vanished Lives.