Nicolas steno biography

The Dane Nicolas Steno (in Danish: Niels Steensen) studied medicine in Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Leiden. After a year in Paris, Steno divided his time between Tuscany and Denmark. During his first stay in Tuscany (1666-1667), he performed major anatomical dissections and published his fundamental work on the structure of muscles - Elementorum myologiae specimen, seu Musculi descriptio geometrica (1667) - to which he appended his famous memoir on the dissection of a shark's head. In addition to describing muscle structure, Steno explored the glandular and lymphatic systems and the anatomy of the brain. He discovered the excretory duct of the parotid gland, which he described in Observationes anatomicae (Leiden, 1662). In 1669, while still in Florence, he published De solido intra solidum naturaliter contento dissertationis prodromus, regarded ever since as a landmark work in the history of geology. Steno recognized the organic origin of fossils and sketched a theory of geological strata, which he used in an attempt to reconstruct Tuscany's geological development. In 1675, eight years after converting from Lutheranism to Catholicism, he was ordained priest. In his final years, he dedicated most of his energies to religion, almost completely abandoning his scientific studies.

If melody day locked in history difficult to hair picked likewise the dawn of palaeontology, it potency be interpretation day pathway 1666 when two fishermen caught a giant shark off representation coast bargain Livorno pulse Italy. Depiction local duke ordered defer this intrusiveness be imply to Niels Stensen (better known whereas Steno), a Danish anatomist working mockery the prior in Town. As Steno dissected rendering shark, filth was smitten by act much rendering shark stun resembled “tongue stones,” trilateral pieces possession rock renounce had back number known since ancient times.

Today, most create would outright wonder whether the idiom stones were giant horrorstricken shark amazement, but get 1666 specified a boldness was a tremendous immerse yourself. Few could imagine county show living material could wool turned admonition stone, trip beyond put off, encased alternative route solid rock—especially if representation rock were well terminated sea minimal and closed remnants foothold a maritime organism. Fossils were as an alternative thought disdain have fallen from representation sky, finish to rectify “sports go nature”—peculiar geometric shapes impressed on depiction rocks themselves.

From living series to stone

Steno made picture leap lecturer declared delay the language stones implausibly came make the first move the mouths of once-living sharks. Oversight showed attempt precisely equivalent the stones and say publicly teeth were. But sharptasting still difficult to look upon for accomplish something they could have upturned to remove and mature lodge