Naturalist · 1769 – 1859
Alexander von Humboldt
Little-Known Facts
- More natural features — currents, mountains, towns and species — are named after Humboldt than after any other person.
- His best-seller Cosmos aimed, astonishingly, to describe the entire physical universe in one work.
Myths & Misconceptions
Was Humboldt mainly an armchair scholar?
Far from it — he climbed volcanoes, navigated rivers and gathered data across the Americas, combining daring fieldwork with prolific writing.