During the 18th and 19th centuries, the natural sciences experienced a first golden age. Many naturalists began to study and describe nature and the first scientific societies were created. However, the glory of the discoveries was not the same for all the people involved.
Despite living in an increasingly academic and civilized world, for decades women were unable to access higher education, much less actively participate in the scientific community. And the young science of paleontology was no exception. They remained as the workforce that makes the discovery, or as the assistant in long hours of research and report writing. Society, extremely macho, did not let them shine, or publish articles, or receive the credit they deserved.
Today, as part of the celebration of February 11, the Day of Women and Girls in Science , we propose to meet some extraordinary paleontologists, who were unfairly invisible or overshadowed:
Mary Anning (1799-1847)
Considered the first paleontologist, she was a collector and merchant of fossils to support her family. He made great discoveries of fossils, both invertebrates and vertebrates, mainly from the Jurassic period (around 200 to 145 million years ago). He was responsible for the discovery of marine reptiles such as ichthyosaurs or plesiosaurs, and even flying reptiles (pterosaurs), but the description and publication fell into the hands of the men who bought these specimens. With his findings, he contributed significantly to changing the ideas that were held in the nineteenth century about life in the Mesozoic. In fact, her findings and her work were highly appreciated by the naturalists of the day, although she was never allowed to actively participate in the Geological Society, both because she was a woman and because of her humble origins. In recent years, a great effort has been made to make visible this extraordinary woman who dedicated her entire life to fossils, both as a woman of science and as an LGBT+ icon. A statue was recently dedicated to him in the Lime Regis, and novels have even been written about his life (Tracy Chevalier’s Traces of Life) and a film (Ammonite) released.
Etheldred Benett (1776-1845)
She was probably the first woman currently regarded as a geologist . Between his geological studies, he studied and collected the fossils he found in the county of Wiltshire, in England. In fact, it brought together the most important collection of Cretaceous marine invertebrates at the time. So much so that important geologists came seeking his help and access to his collection at a key moment in the early development of geology as a science. Surprisingly for its time, it managed to get a publication (A catalog of the organic remains of the county of Wiltshire), and even received two awards, from the Imperial Natural History Society of Moscow and the University of St Petersburg. These recognitions, more than deserved, were possible because her name was very similar to Ethelred, a male name, so that she was often taken for a man.
Elizabeth Philpot (1780-1857)
She was a great fossil collector and illustrator. Elizabeth and her sisters spent much of their time collecting and cataloging a large collection of fossils, both invertebrates and fish. In fact, like other paleontologists, her collection was frequently used for research. He came to develop a great knowledge of fossil fish, which was recognized by geologists and paleontologists of the time. He collaborated with Mary Anning, with whom he had a good friendship, and sometimes they collaborated on his fieldwork days.
Mary Horner Lyell (1808-1873)
She was one of the first geologists and naturalists, and came to specialize in shellfish fossils and living shellfish. Her husband was the geologist Charles Lyell, and as happened on many occasions, the marriage worked together as a scientific couple, despite the fact that he was the one who went down in history as the father of Geology. Mary’s task was no small thing: she participated in the collection of specimens together with Charles; later he cataloged the rocks, minerals and fossils; He made the illustrations and even translated the texts due to his mastery of the French, Spanish and German languages.
Mary Ann Mantell (1795-1869)
In 1816, she married the physician and naturalist Gideon Mantell, with whom she shared her passion for nature. Together, they collected fossils wherever they went. She is traditionally credited with finding the first teeth of what her husband would describe as Iguanodon , the second dinosaur known to science. It is said that in 1822, while accompanying Gideon to Surrey to visit a patient, Mary Ann discovered large fossil teeth beside a road construction site. These teeth were the first fossils of the gigantic reptile Iguanodon , described by her husband in 1825, and which was the second dinosaur known to science. Mary Ann, apart from developing great skills in finding and identifying fossils, was very good at illustrating them. In fact, he illustrated all of Gideon’s published fossils, including his major work, Illustrations of the Geology of Sussex , published in 1827. The couple are known to have made a good research team, but over time, their relationship It deteriorated and they ended up divorcing.
Can you imagine how different the history of science would have been if these and other brilliant women had not been restricted from working?
References:
Burek, CV; Higgs, B. (eds). 2007. The Role of Women in the History of Geology. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 281, 1–8 .
Turner, S. et al. 2010. Forgotten women in an extinct saurian (man’s) world. Geological Society, London, Special Publications. 343 (1): 111–153 .
Oliver, A.; Gascó, F. 2018. Paleontology in 100 questions. Nowtilus, 352 pp .
