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ISSN 1028-1533

International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences

INHIGEO

NEWSLETTER
No. 44 Covering activities generally in 2011 Issued in 2012
INHIGEO is A Commission of the International Union of Geological Sciences & An affiliate of the International Union of the History and Philosophy of Sciences

Compiled and Edited by Barry J. Cooper INHIGEO Secretary-General Printed in Adelaide, South Australia on request Available at www.inhigeo.org

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for classical field work because field based observational skills remain important, in particular for geologists with deskbound careers. Centres of excellence, a holistic concept about planet earth, sustainable exploration and exploitation of decreasing earth riches will keep future geologists active. Therefore, an earth sciences career choice will remain challenging for a long time to come. A detailed table of contents at the end of the book facilitates searching for a specific topic in this mosaic-like comprehensive book. References and suggestions for further reading per chapter and section, an index of persons mentioned in the text and a list of contributors and authors conclude the book. All information of Dutch Geology between two covers makes it a compulsive purchase. Tom J. A. Reijers, Anderen, Netherlands Nicolas Steno and the strata of the deluge Leandro Sequeiros & Francisco Pelayo (eds.), Nicols Steno, los estratos y el Diluvio universal. Un encuentro entre ciencia y religin en el siglo XVII, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Madrid, 2011, digital edition in pdf, 170 pp (in Spanish) On 11 January 2012, GoogleTM dedicated its daily doodle to Nicolas Stenos birthday (born in 1638). It was then widely reported on the web (just try googling steno google doodle) as well as in many newspapers around the world, and especially within the geoscientific community (eg. the weekly EOS, from the American Geophysical Union, 24 January 2012). Appearing as a doodle created an outstanding event, which has also been achieved by other scientists such as Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton and Marie Curie; and no doubt an astounding fact, because Steno may be considered the father of geology. Notably Steno is recognised for works published between 1667 and 1669 and crowned by his Prodromus (1669) that marked the beginning of geology. Unfortunately, and it is not clear why, Steno left scientific inquiry in 1673 and dedicated the remainder of his life entirely to religion, until his death in 1686 at the relatively young age of 49 years old. Steno had dedicated one year to the problem of the marine shells, following some of Leonardo da Vincis interpretations. Geologically speaking, his main contributions are on diedric angles, the concept of stratum and the principle of strata succession and superposition, and thermal waters and minerals. One of his most famous works is about the shark called Canis Carchariae, which brought him to ambitious and profound studies on rocks and fossils, by comparing the sharks teeth with those found in ancient strata. Surprisingly, Nicolas Steno is not well known in geological literature written in Spanish, as almost none of his works have previously been translated to this language. This situation has been remedied by Sequeiros and Pelayo with this book, presenting a detailed study of Stenos works and the translation into Spanish of two of his most outstanding masterpieces. On the other hand, in English, there are numerous works about Steno, and just one example can be used as a proof: the book The Revolution in Geology from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment edited by Gary T. Rosenberg (Geological Society of America Memoir 203; 2009; 283 pages) dedicates eight of its twenty chapters to Steno. This book by Sequeiros and Pelayo is available only in digital format (pdf) and then, readable on the screen or by personal prints. This latter is a handicap, since once printed, the watermark appears so clearly that it covers part of the text, making it difficult to read some small portions of every page. Nevertheless this book presents in a very attractive edition. Those readers eager to have a copy, can try buying it for only 8 at the cybersite www.une.es/Ent/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?ID=147010&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1. As mentioned, the book has significant value in introducing Steno to the Spanish geological literature, where the authors affirm he has been one of the great forgotten ones. The text is divided in four parts as follows. A long and well-documented introductive study on Stenos biography is provided giving the context of science and scientists in his epoch, and the explanation of the two following works that are translated. Here, the authors explain not only Stenos contributions to geology (including his ideas on erosion, sedimentation and fossils), but also on medicine and especially anatomy. One important section at the end of this part is the bibliography on Steno and his time with works in Spanish, Italian, French, German and English. The translation from Latin to Spanish of a part of Canis Carchariae relates mostly to Stenos concepts of erosion, sedimentation, the formation of strata and fossils in them, including those from sharks (the glossopetrae). They are demonstrated in a series of conjectures, or hypotheses. The translation from Latin to Spanish of the Prodromus, which was Stenos masterpiece in geology, where he refined ideas expounded in the previous work, and that unfortunately, was not followed by further investigations and

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writings. Here, Stenos important contribution is his hypothesis on the formation of crystals, minerals, rocks, animal and plant fossils and mountains. A long synthetic chapter is provided on science and religion by Steno. There is ample discussion on the ideas related to the deluge and the formation of rocks and fossils, and the theological ideas from Jesuit and other clerical fathers including Acosta, Kircher and others. As the authors affirm in conclusion, they wanted to reach a historical elaboration of the ideas of the universal deluge and the extinction of species between the 16th and 18th centuries, thus completing a theological reflection on the work by Steno. In general, the book is successful in providing a wide perspective of Stenos science in his epoch and later, and discusses the conundrum between the scientific value of his stratigraphical findings and religious thoughts. It is also successful, in presenting to Spanish readers, a very readable and careful translation of Stenos important works. Readers from the Spanish speaking world, interested in the history of geological thoughts, will enjoy this book. It is well worth its price. Gerardo J. Soto San Jos, Costa Rica A variorum on eighteenth-century geology Taylor, Kenneth L. and Rudwick, Martin J. S. (eds), Rhoda Rappaport: Studies on Eighteenth-Century Geology. Ashgate Variorum, Farnum, Surrey, England, Burlington, VT, USA, 2011, xxiv + 340 pp, appendices, index, hardcover. If there was ever a need to argue for the concept of a variorum publication (a collection of an author's works, with commentary by others), this compilation of articles by Professor Rhoda Rappaport (19352009) could serve as an eloquent positive testimony. It is valuable for contemporary readers to witness the sweep and substance of Rappaport's important observations, analyses, and conclusions. Rhoda Rappaport: Studies on Eighteenth-Century Geology (2011) repeatedly evidences the primary element of the definition of a variorum book, bringing together key papers of an important author. The clear and powerful introduction by editors Kenneth L. Taylor and Martin J. S. Rudwick speaks to the second feature of a variorum edition helpful discussion by experts other than the author and it contributes significantly to the worth of the book. Not only do the editors explain the organization of the book, they provide valuable insights into Dr. Rappaport's background, methodology, and aspirations. Grounded in the sciences as an undergraduate at Goucher College, she went on to do graduate work at Cornell University. At Cornell she worked with Henry Guerlac, the celebrated historian whose research focused on the life and times of Lavoisier and the evolution of chemistry in the eighteenth century. As a professor at Vassar College, Rappaport focused on French contributions to chemistry and geology and used her research time to go to Paris and immerse herself in the primary literature of the eighteenth century. She had the critical ability to recognize key questions and the gift of being able to combine her wealth of research information with insightful analyses, illuminating conclusions, and clear writing. In other words, this variorum collection of sixteen seminal papers is a welcomed window on the work of a major contributor to our understanding of geology's evolution. The papers are presented in the context of five major sections: 1) Chemistry; 2) The Mineralogical Atlas; 3) Understanding the Earth and its History; 4) The Language of Earth Science; and 5) Scientific Pursuits in Early Modern Europe. The editors provide cogent explanations for the groupings, and the Contents section lists the titles and original publication information for each of the sixteen articles. A reader can therefore select a starting point of particular interest. Without listing each chapter title here, the point should be made that the book contains a broad, but frequently highly focused, look at the construction of the science of geology in the eighteenth century. Biographies underpin the first nine articles, as Rappaport helps contextualize the contributions of Rouelle, Lavoisier, Guettard, Monnet, Hooke, Fontenelle and Leibniz. The richness of the analyses is gratifying, even if the interactions of some of the "heroes" take on the rather grating tone of a soap opera, as the creators of the Mineralogical Atlas squabble among themselves. For those who do not care for soap operas, it is important to note that the depth of research, the contextualizing, and the unraveling of reasons for the occasional rancor between Lavoisier, Guettard, and Monnet ("his delusions amounted to paranoia") are rewarding. The narrative is an example of how good historical analysis can help us understand significant interpersonal issues that, in fact, are important in appreciating larger issues. It should also be noted that the bio-sketches are not simple date- and place-telling tales, they bring people like Lavoisier and Fontenelle to life while explaining their methods, goals, and roles in building the foundations for the edifice of geology that continues to be constructed in the twenty-first century. Another example of the relevance of the topics considered is the important question of how much, and in what ways, orthodox religion contributed to, or impeded, science. That exact issue is forcefully treated in Rappaport's classic paper (1978) on Noah's Flood as a geological agent. The general question continues to generate interest, as evidenced by the recent publication of the Geological Society of London's Special Paper 310 on Geology and Religion (2009). An entire section of the Rappaport tome is devoted to the role of words in the maturing of geoscience. Whether "borrowed" ('monuments', 'revolutions', and 'accidents') or "dangerous" ('diluvialism, 'neptunism', 'catastrophism') the six key words are treated in a creative and analytical way that transcends dry esoteric splitting of definitional hairs. Moving beyond the productive focus on France, chapters on Vallisneri and Baron d'Holbach are used to document geological contributions from Italy and Germany. The book ends with interesting chapters devoted to (1) a valuable discussion of government support of science in the eighteenth century, using agricultural reform as a focus,