Florence Bascom forever changed the landscape of geology in the United States. She was the first woman professional geologist in the US, and she made many contributions that are still cited today. She truly was a foundational scientist.
Shen Kuo was a talented 11th Century Chinese paleontologist. He wrote at length about sedimentation, geomorphology, marine fossils in mountain peaks and how the distribution of fossil bamboo meant climate had changed through time. He was a foundational paleontologist, and we should know more about him.
I introduce Chinese scientist Shen Kuo who wrote about paleontology in the 11th Century. I then ask “who invented paleontology.” The answer may surprise you.
Anningiae: how gender bias and myth making obscure who the real Mary Anning was. The Anning we celebrate today is based on sexist and classist biases meant to belittle her true scientific accomplishments. Anning was not a simple country woman selling sea shells by the sea shore.
Mary Anning owed her aptitude as a paleontologist to her friends and colleagues. The sexist beliefs of some of these allies also prevented her from reaching her full potential. This week, I look into how Mary’s relationships shaped her and inform us on her real personality.
An introduction to the concept I call “bias in the fossil record” where the contributions of women and minorities to geology and paleontology are hidden from history.
Bias in the Fossil Record 