Who is Alexander von Humboldt? - George Mehler

Ko je Aleksandar fon Humbolt? - Džordž Meler (George Mehler)

Transcriber: Andrea McDonough Reviewer: Bedirhan Cinar

Prevodilac: Miloš Milosavljević Lektor: Mile Živković

I would like to introduce you

Želeo bih da vas upoznam

to one of the most amazing scientists

sa jednim od najneverovatnijih naučnika

who have ever lived.

koji su ikada živeli.

So famous, that more places on Earth

Toliko poznatim, da je više mesta na Zemlji

have been named after him than any human being.

nazvano po njemu nego po bilo kom drugom čoveku.

So famous, that President Thomas Jefferson

Toliko poznatim, da je predsednik Tomas Džeferson

said he was the most important scientist he ever met.

rekao da je on najvažniji naučnik kog je upoznao.

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

A Simon Bolivar ga je nazvao istinskim otkrivačem Južne Amerike.

On the 100th anniversary of his birth,

Na stotu godišnjicu njegovog rođenja,

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

svaka priča na naslovnoj strani Njujork Tajmsa

was written about him.

je bila o njemu.

Who is this scientist

Ko je ovaj naučnik

and what did he do that was so extraordinary?

i šta je to uradio što je bilo tako izuzetno?

His name is Alexander Von Humboldt.

Njegovo ime je Aleksandar fon Humbolt.

Never heard of him?

Nikad niste čuli za njega?

Most people haven't.

Mnogi ljudi nisu.

His name has been lost in history,

Njegovo ime je izgubljeno u istoriji,

but here is what he did.

ali evo šta je uradio.

Alexander Von Humboldt started as a practicing geologist,

Aleksandar fon Humbolt je počeo kao profesionalni geolog,

but when an inheritance allowed him the freedom to travel,

ali kada mu je nasledstvo omogućilo slobodu da putuje,

he began an incredible, five-year scientific journey

počeo je neverovatno petogodišnje naučno putovanje

through South America,

po Južnoj Americi,

Mexico,

Meksiku

and Cuba.

i Kubi.

From 1799 to 1804,

Od 1799. do 1804.

Von Humboldt and his botonist partner, Aime Bonpland,

fon Humbolt i njegov partner, botaničar Eme Bonplan,

traveled through the jungles of Venezuela,

putovali su kroz džungle Venecuele,

made detailed drawings of Inca ruins

napravili detaljne crteže ruševina Inka

while exploring the mountains of Peru,

dok su istraživali planine Perua

and traversed the breadth of Mexico and Cuba.

i prelazili prostranstva Meksika i Kube.

He explored the length of the Orinoco River in Venezuela.

Istražio je celu dužinu reke Orinoko u Venecueli.

This 1700 mile portion of the trip

Ova, 2700km dugačka deonica puta

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

je bila puna opasnosti, bolesti i fantastičnih novih otkrića.

For example, Von Humboldt was the first explorer

Na primer, fon Humbolt je bio prvi istraživač

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

koji je bio svedok pripreme biljke kurare za otrovne strele.

He recognized the importance of the cinchona tree,

Prepoznao je važnost drveta kininovca,

whose bark contains quinine,

čija kora sadrži kinin

which is a malaria cure,

koji je lek za malariju

and discovered the ocean current,

i otkrio je okeansku struju

which limits rainfall on the coast of Peru,

koja ograničava kišne padavine na obali Perua,

later named the Humboldt Current.

kasnije nazvanu Humboltova struja.

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

Otkrio je i opisao mnoge nove vrste biljaka i životinja,

including the electric eel.

uključujući i električnu jegulju.

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

U Ekvadoru se popeo na jedan od najviših vulkana, Čimboraso,

so that he could record air pressure,

da bi mogao da izmeri vazdušni pritisak,

something no one had ever done at this altitude.

nešto što niko nije uradio na ovoj visini.

The entire journey covered over 24,000 miles,

Tokom celog putovanja je prevalio preko 38.000km,

the same distance as the circumference of the Earth.

isto koliko iznosi obim Zemlje.

Along the way, he took measurements

Tokom putovanja, merio je

about the shape of the land,

oblik terena,

its temperature,

njegovu temperaturu,

the air pressure,

vazdušni pritisak

and the strength of magnetic fields.

i jačinu magnetnih polja.

By connecting places of identical temperatures,

Povezivanjem mesta sa jednakim temperaturama,

he created contour maps with lines of similar temperatures,

napravio je konturne mape sa linijama sličnih temperatura

which he called "isotherms".

koje je nazvao "izoterme".

Because Humboldt invented these maps,

Pošto je Humbolt izmislio ove mape,

scientists began to see patterns

naučnici su počeli da uočavaju šablone

in the life

u životu

and the types of life

i u vrstama života

present in certain places,

prisutnim na određenim mestima

and he became a pioneer

i postao je pionir

in the visual presentation of scientific data.

u vizuelnom prikazivanju naučnih podataka.

These discoveries and measurements were critical

Ova otkrića i merenja su bila ključna

to what made him such an important scientist.

u njegovom uzdizanju do statusa značajnog naučnika.

Until Humboldt, scientists who described new plants and animals

Do Humbolta, naučnici koji su opisivali nove biljke i životinje

did not clearly see the crucial connection

nisu jasno videli ključnu povezanost

between living things

između živih stvari

and the places in which they lived,

i mesta na kojima žive,

called habitats.

zvanim staništa.

They did not appreciate the role of the environment

Nisu vrednovali uticaj okruženja

on the diversity of life.

na raznovrsnost života.

Humboldt discovered and understood the importance

Humbolt je otkrio i shvatio važnost

of these connections.

ovih veza.

Because of this,

he is considered the founder of biogeography.

Zbog ovoga,

se smatra osnivačem biogeografije.

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

Takođe je razvio teoriju zvanu "Jedinstvo prirode",

which shows the interconnectedness of all nature.

koja pokazuje međusobnu povezanost cele prirode.

This knowledge plays a vital role

Ovo saznanje igra suštinsku ulogu

in the preservation and protection of our habitat.

u očuvanju i zaštiti našeg životnog okruženja.

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

Njegova knjiga "Kosmos" opisuje ovu teoriju

and is still in print today.

i danas se još uvek štampa.

As celebrated a scientist as he was,

Osim što je bio proslavljeni naučnik,

Von Humboldt was also generous,

fon Humbolt je takođe bio velikodušan,

thus serving another role in the world.

i tako odigrao još jednu ulogu u svetu.

He was the mentor and teacher to younger scientists.

Bio je mentor i učitelj mlađim naučnicima.

In fact, just recently it was discovered

U stvari, tek skoro je otkrivena

the crucial role that Humboldt played in the work

ključna uloga koju je Humbolt odigrao u radu

of his most famous pen-pal,

svog poznatog prijatelja sa kojim se dopisivao,

Charles Darwin.

Čarlsa Darvina.

A young Darwin read Humboldt extensively

Mladi Darvin je mnogo čitao Humbolta

and wrote in his diary while on the Beagle,

i dok je bio na "Biglu", napisao je u svom dnevniku:

"I am at present fit only to read Humboldt.

"Trenutno bih mogao samo da čitam Humbolta.

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

On, kao drugo Sunce, obasjava sve što tražim."

Today, although Humboldt is known and revered

Danas, iako je Humbolt poznat i cenjen

by a small community of scientists,

u maloj zajednici naučnika,

he is almost totally forgotten by many of us.

skoro potpuno su ga zaboravili mnogi od nas.

Alexander Von Humboldt's influence is apparent

Uticaj Aleksandra fon Humbolta je očigledan

everywhere and in every scientific discipline.

svugde i u svakoj naučnoj disciplini.

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

On je možda najznačajnija zaboravljena osoba u nauci.

But he doesn't have to be,

Ali ne mora da bude tako,

because if you remember him,

jer ako ga se setite,

perhaps his influence will be celebrated.

njegov uticaj će možda početi da se ceni.