Kingdom Of Ants Jos Celestino Mutis And The Dawn Of Natural History In The New World

In 1760, the 28-year-old Mutisáunewly appointed as the personal physician of the Viceroy of the New Kingdom of Granadaáuembarked on a 48-year exploration of the natural world of northern South America. His thirst for knowledge led Mutis to study the region's flora, become a professor of mathematics, construct the first astronomical observatory in the Western Hemisphere, and amass one of the largest scientific libraries in the world. He translated Newton's writings and penned essays about Copernicus; lectured extensively on astronomy, geography, and meteorology; and eventually became a priest. But, as two-time Pulitzer Prizeãuwinner Edward O. Wilson and Spanish natural history scholar lose M. G6mez Duran reveal in this enjoyable and illustrative account, one of Mutis's most magnificent accomplishments involved ants.