Who is Alexander von Humboldt? - George Mehler

Transcriber: Andrea McDonough Reviewer: Bedirhan Cinar

Translator: Elda Indria Sari Reviewer: Nathaniel Luis Reyhan Soesilo

I would like to introduce you

Mari kuperkenalkan pada salah satu ilmuwan terhebat

to one of the most amazing scientists

who have ever lived.

yang pernah ada.

So famous, that more places on Earth

Begitu terkenalnya, hingga banyak tempat di bumi memakai namanya

have been named after him than any human being.

dibandingkan manusia mana pun.

So famous, that President Thomas Jefferson

Begitu tersohornya, hingga Thomas Jefferson berkata

said he was the most important scientist he ever met.

dia adalah ilmuwan terpenting yang pernah ia temui.

And Simon Bolivar called him the true discoverer of South America.

Simon Bolivar menjulukinya sang penemu asli Amerika Selatan.

Di perayaan ulang tahunnya yang ke-100,

On the 100th anniversary of his birth,

every story on the front page of <i>The New York Times</i>

setiap kisah di halaman muka The New York Times

was written about him.

menulis tentang dirinya.

Who is this scientist

Siapakah ilmuwan ini

and what did he do that was so extraordinary?

dan apa yang membuatnya begitu luar biasa?

His name is Alexander Von Humboldt.

Namanya adalah Alexander Von Humboldt.

Never heard of him?

Belum pernah dengar?

Most people haven't.

Sebagian besar memang belum.

His name has been lost in history,

Namanya telah hilang dalam sejarah,

but here is what he did.

tetapi inilah pencapaiannya.

Alexander Von Humboldt started as a practicing geologist,

Awalnya, Alexander Von Humboldt adalah seorang ahli geologi,

but when an inheritance allowed him the freedom to travel,

tetapi saat sebuah warisan memberinya kebebasan bepergian,

he began an incredible, five-year scientific journey

dia memulai perjalanan ilmiah lima tahun yang luar biasa

through South America,

melintasi Amerika Selatan,

Mexico,

Meksiko, dan Kuba.

and Cuba.

From 1799 to 1804,

Dari tahun 1799 hingga 1804,

Von Humboldt and his botonist partner, Aime Bonpland,

Von Humboldt dan rekannya, ahli botani Aime Bonpland,

traveled through the jungles of Venezuela,

melintasi rimba Venezuela,

made detailed drawings of Inca ruins

membuat gambar terperinci reruntuhan Inka sambil menjelajahi Pegunungan Peru,

while exploring the mountains of Peru,

and traversed the breadth of Mexico and Cuba.

dan melintasi luasnya Meksiko dan Kuba.

He explored the length of the Orinoco River in Venezuela.

Dia menjelajah sepanjang Sungai Orinoco di Venezuela.

This 1700 mile portion of the trip

Perjalanan sejauh 2.700 km ini

was filled with danger, disease, and fantastic new discoveries.

dipenuhi bahaya, penyakit, dan penemuan baru yang fantastis.

For example, Von Humboldt was the first explorer

Misalnya, Von Humboldt adalah penjelajah pertama

to witness the preparation of the curare plant for poison arrows.

yang menyaksikan persiapan tanaman kurare untuk dijadikan anak panah beracun.

He recognized the importance of the cinchona tree,

Dia mengenali kegunaan pohon kina,

whose bark contains quinine,

yang kulit pohonnya mengandung kuinina, yaitu obat malaria,

which is a malaria cure,

and discovered the ocean current,

dan menemukan arus laut

which limits rainfall on the coast of Peru,

yang membatasi curah hujan di pesisir Peru,

later named the Humboldt Current.

yang kemudian dinamakan Arus Humboldt.

He discovered and described many new species of plants and animals,

Dia menemukan dan menggambarkan banyak spesies tanaman dan hewan baru,

including the electric eel.

termasuk belut listrik.

In Ecuador, he climbed the one of the highest volcanoes, Chimborazo,

Di Ekuador, dia mendaki salah satu gunung berapi tertinggi, Chimborazo,

so that he could record air pressure,

agar dia bisa mengukur tekanan udara,

something no one had ever done at this altitude.

sesuatu yang belum pernah dilakukan di ketinggian ini.

The entire journey covered over 24,000 miles,

Seluruh perjalanan mencakup lebih dari 38.000 km,

the same distance as the circumference of the Earth.

jarak yang sama dengan keliling bumi.

Along the way, he took measurements

Sepanjang jalan, dia mengukur bentuk daratan,

about the shape of the land,

its temperature,

suhu,

the air pressure,

tekanan udara,

and the strength of magnetic fields.

dan kekuatan medan magnet.

By connecting places of identical temperatures,

Dengan menghubungkan tempat-tempat dengan suhu serupa,

he created contour maps with lines of similar temperatures,

dia membuat peta kontur dengan garis suhu yang sama,

which he called "isotherms".

yang dinamakannya "isoterm."

Because Humboldt invented these maps,

Karena Humboldt menemukan peta-peta ini,

scientists began to see patterns

ilmuwan mulai melihat pola

in the life

dalam kehidupan

and the types of life

dan tipe kehidupan

present in certain places,

yang ada di suatu tempat,

and he became a pioneer

dan dia menjadi perintis

in the visual presentation of scientific data.

dalam presentasi visual data ilmiah.

These discoveries and measurements were critical

Penemuan dan ukuran ini krusial

to what made him such an important scientist.

dalam menjadikannya ilmuwan yang sangat penting.

Until Humboldt, scientists who described new plants and animals

Hingga Humboldt, para ilmuwan yang menjelaskan tanaman dan hewan baru

did not clearly see the crucial connection

tidak begitu melihat hubungan penting

between living things

antara makhluk hidup

dan tempat yang mereka tinggali, bernama habitat.

and the places in which they lived,

called habitats.

They did not appreciate the role of the environment

Mereka tidak memperhitungkan peran lingkungan

on the diversity of life.

dalam keberagaman hidup.

Humboldt discovered and understood the importance

Humboldt menemukan dan memahami pentingnya hubungan ini.

of these connections.

Karena ini,

Because of this,

he is considered the founder of biogeography.

dia dianggap sebagai pendiri biogeografi.

He also developed a theory called the "Unity of Nature,"

Dia juga mengembangkan teori "Kesatuan Alam,"

which shows the interconnectedness of all nature.

yang menunjukkan keterkaitan semua alam.

This knowledge plays a vital role

Pengetahuan ini berperan penting

in the preservation and protection of our habitat.

dalam pelestarian dan perlindungan habitat kita.

His book, <i>Cosmos</i>, describes this theory

Bukunya, Cosmos, menjelaskan teori ini

and is still in print today.

dan masih dicetak saat ini.

As celebrated a scientist as he was,

Sebagai seorang ilmuwan yang disegani,

Von Humboldt was also generous,

Von Humboldt juga dermawan,

thus serving another role in the world.

dan menjalani peran lain di dunia.

Dia adalah mentor dan guru bagi ilmuwan-ilmuwan muda.

He was the mentor and teacher to younger scientists.

In fact, just recently it was discovered

Malah, belakangan baru diketahui peran penting Humboldt

the crucial role that Humboldt played in the work

of his most famous pen-pal,

dalam karya sobat penanya yang terkenal,

Charles Darwin.

Charles Darwin.

A young Darwin read Humboldt extensively

Darwin muda membaca karya Humboldt secara luas

and wrote in his diary while on the Beagle,

dan menulisnya di buku harian saat ada di atas Beagle,

"I am at present fit only to read Humboldt.

"Kini, aku hanya membaca karya Humboldt.

He, like another sun, illuminates everything I behold."

Ia, layaknya matahari lain, menyinari segala milikku."

Today, although Humboldt is known and revered

Saat ini, walau Humboldt dikenal dan dihormati

by a small community of scientists,

oleh komunitas kecil ilmuwan,

he is almost totally forgotten by many of us.

dia hampir dilupakan oleh banyak dari kita.

Alexander Von Humboldt's influence is apparent

Pengaruh Alexander Von Humboldt nyata

everywhere and in every scientific discipline.

di mana pun dan di setiap disiplin ilmu.

He is, perhaps, the most important forgotten man of science.

Mungkin dia adalah figur ilmiah terpenting yang terlupakan.

But he doesn't have to be,

Namun, tak harus demikian,

because if you remember him,

karena jika kamu mengingatnya,

perhaps his influence will be celebrated.

mungkin pengaruhnya akan dikenang.