Latest news with #Buffon
Scroll.in
04-08-2025
- Science
- Scroll.in
Pulitzer Prize for biography: ‘Every Living Thing' charts the tension between two types of ‘genius'
The modern science biography must hold back no punches in its mission to represent the subject's life, equally celebrating their great works while including their personal shortcomings. Jürgen Neffe's Einstein: A Biography (2005) and Dava Sobel's The Elements of Marie Curie (2024) are wonderful examples of this style. Such books succeed in clearly explaining the complex science of their subject's work for non-scientific readers, enabling a deep appreciation of their achievements and bringing them to life as rounded, flawed humans. Jason Roberts' Every Living Thing: The Great and Deadly Race to Know all Life is another of these rare works. This engrossing, precisely researched book focuses on two central characters born in the same year: Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), a Swede, and Frenchman Georges-Louis LeClerc, the Comte de Buffon (1707-1788), better known as just Buffon. Roberts' book won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for biography. His writing pulls the reader effortlessly through the story, revealing delightful, unexpected twists and turns in the two men's complex and disparate lives. Each worked diligently to reach a level of global notoriety for their many published books. Both are revered in the natural history world today. Linnaeus, a biologist and physician, is known for his system of hierarchical classification: how all living things comprise a genus and species (we humans are Homo sapiens), which fit into families, orders, classes and so on. (A good many intermediate ranks were added later). While his work has been hugely influential, Linnaeus is portrayed by Roberts at times as being lazy, vain and unethical. Linnaeus was primarily driven to be the first to name new species. Buffon was working on a grand thesis of how all life's organisms function and are related to one another. A wealthy count who inherited a vast fortune at the age of ten, Buffon trained as a lawyer but became fascinated by the trees that grew in his large garden. Buffon is best known today for his extensive books on natural history and works on mathematics and cosmology. He calculated the Earth was much older than the Bible predicted and that life sprung from unorganised matter. He explored the relationships between organisms rather than how they were classified. His core work formed the basis for modern evolutionary theory. Why was all this important? At the time, the task of classifying plants was vital to the growing economies of nations. Travellers to the far reaches of the globe brought back examples of economically valuable new species, like plant foods, medicinal plants or beautiful ornamental specimens. The author's central thesis is Linnaeus was not as brilliant as history paints him and Buffon was a far greater genius for his day. Where does genius come from, Roberts asks? Is it inherent by birth, grown from an inspiring education, or is it something within that is nurtured by passion? Both these brilliant men who made a lasting mark on science came from not very inspiring families. Nor did they excel at school or university. This story shows success in academic work is not just about intellect, but intimately tied to the ethics and morality of doing research. Was Linneaus autistic? At the age of four, young Carl Linnaeus was fascinated by plants and had a gift for remembering their names. Seeking to become a botanist, he was first thwarted by his mediocrity at school where he failed miserably, preventing him from entering into a medical degree. He later went to the Netherlands to buy a degree from a dubious university after completing just two days study. He returned home and was eventually appointed professor of botany at Uppsala University. Linneaus today would possibly be thought of as autistic. He had a rare gift for rote learning names and lists of plants, while preferring his own company yet lacked outward empathy for his disciples on their perilous trips (autistic people often experience empathy in a different way). Linnaeus's classification system was refined over ten editions of his work Systema Naturae (1735-1778), in which he named over 4,236 animals and 7,700 species of plants. Still, his classification of plants by their sexual organs was cumbersome to use in the field, so didn't take off amongst his peers. Today this system falls apart when analysed using DNA comparisons between species. Linnaeus only ever did one field trip to collect specimens, to Lapland in northern Sweden. A famous painting shows him sporting Laplander clothing with a conical hat. When he bought it he was unaware that this hat was locally only worn by women. He boasted that he scaled Mount Caitumbyn (a name no longer listed on maps of the Lapland area), exaggerating its height and the dangers of the trip. However, he couldn't have done this as it would have involved a 1,400 km detour from his itinerary. He was openly corrupt at times, taking fees to write his own students' essays. His vanity was evident through his (anonymous) glowing reviews of his own works. Despite these faults, the scientific work Linnaeus achieved has formed the fundamental framework for all modern taxonomy – the science of the classification of life. He did get something right, even though his many parts of his published works were deeply flawed. Buffon's brilliance Georges-Louis LeClerc, later the Comte de Buffon, was born into a wealthy middle-class family. He was an average student who eventually obtained a law degree, despite his wild times at university, where he engaged in deadly duels. In his twenties, he built a three-storey mansion in the town of Montebard in Dijon and developed an immense garden. His interest in botany grew as he began experiments on trees. Soon he adopted a rigorous daily routine, waking up at 5am every day, dressing, then walking at first light to work. He worked all day with brief pauses for meals and a short nap, wrapping up at 7pm. Skipping dinner, he fasted every night. He kept to this same schedule for 50 years. Buffon idolised Isaac Newton and learned his calculus. He solved an ancient mystery about a weapon invented by Archimedes, which used giant mirrors to intensify the sun's rays and set fire to the Roman fleet in 212 BCE. Buffon built a replica to show the French military how this tactic had worked. He also solved complex mathematical equations and wrote papers on probability and statistics. His real passion though, was natural history. Buffon became motivated to explore the structure of animals and plants to determine the relationships between species. His biological work starts in earnest at volume four of his 35-volume set Histoire Naturelle, Générale et Particulière by examining three farm animals in mundane detail to define what it means to be a horse, donkey or bull. Buffon expressed clear ideas about evolution 100 years before Charles Darwin. All of the components of Darwin's theory – the how, where and why of natural selection and how species change – are there in Buffon's works. This was recognised by Darwin in his revised fourth edition of Origin of the Species (1866) when he admitted in an addendum that Buffon 'was the first author who, in modern times, has treated [the origin of species] in a scientific spirit'. Buffon's method of exploring the deep science of a topic was artfully delivered by his skilful prose. While other scholars (like Linnaeus) published in Latin, Buffon wrote in the popular French so all could read his work. He was France's best-selling non-fiction author for his day, and honoured by admittance into the Académie Française, the nation's highest literary honour. Rivalry The book outlines the rivalry between the two men, spurred on by their differing intellectual approaches to understanding natural history. Buffon's chief critique of Linnaeus's system of classification was that it was entirely arbitrary, set up by a whim, not from research. Linnaeus' response was to imply that Buffon's work was an experiment that lacked a practical path, implying it had no economic application to biology. Ironically, when Linnaeus published his tenth edition of his book in 1758, he vindicated Buffon's criticism by changing his system quite radically for no clear reason. As the two men settled into their main projects we see genius emerges from the slow, often painful, creation of new knowledge applied to problem-solving. Buffon's written works not only deal with nature, but also 'excoriate slavery', support women's sexual rights (arguing rightly that men used the concept of 'virginity' to control women) and proclaim all humans are but one species of equal capability. Linnaeus, on the other hand, was obsessed by one task – classifying all life. In the 18th century, it was believed there were around 4,000 species on Earth, as derived from a guess of how many animals and plants might fit on Noah's Ark. Linnaeus eventually conceded there must be at least 40,000 species. Today, we have over one million species documented, with up to a trillion calculated to possibly exist. While Linnaeus made lasting contributions to biology through these classifications, he stirred the hornet's nest by seeing humans as four distinct species, each based on superficial differences and inferred personality traits. His approach reeked of white supremacy. Roberts rightly points out it formed the basis for all systemic racism from then on. Lasting legacies Roberts is a 'more or less' self-taught writer. He honed his skills writing massive technical manuals for computer programming, some more than 600 pages long. This book follows his earlier A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man became History's Greatest Traveler, about the travels of blind Englishman James Holman (2006). There are a few small technical errors in this otherwise masterful work. A delightful chapter about the platypus tells us it generates an electric field, whereas it actually has sensitive electrosensory cells to detect the electric fields of its prey. A section about Darwin's work mentions British biologist Alfred Russel Wallace had ideas along 'similar lines', but it would have helped to mention Darwin and Wallace first published their preliminary ideas on evolution in a joint paper in June, 1858, a year before Darwin's On the Origin of Species was published. Still, overall, the research presented in this book is very tight. It shows Buffon's cross-disciplinary use of science, maths, physics and chemistry in his analyses of living things positioned him way ahead of his time. He savoured the study of natural history, whereas Linneaus gobbled it up in greedy mouthfuls. Both left lasting legacies. Aside from their voluminous written works, still widely cited today, their many disciples carried on and further developed their works after their deaths. These include many famous names (French biologist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, and zoologist Georges Cuvier, British biologist Thomas Huxley) who are discussed in the last chapters. The remaining parts of Linnaeus's biological collections are housed in London in the rooms of The Linnean Society, a lasting tribute to the founder of modern taxonomy. He is buried at Uppsala cathedral. Buffon is remembered not just through his books, but also by a magnificent marble statue commissioned by King Louis XVI, now in the grand gallery of evolution in Paris's natural history museum. It is inscribed with these words: 'All nature bows to his genius'. Buffon's preserved heart sits in the pedestal below this statue. John Long is Strategic Professor in Palaeontology, Flinders University.
Yahoo
28-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Video: New Italy coach Gattuso visits Juventus alongside club legends
New Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso followed the Juventus training session on Sunday, alongside Leonardo Bonucci and Gigi Buffon. Italy CT Gattuso followed a Juventus training session at Continassa on Sunday. Watch: Gattuso visits Juventus with Buffon and Bonucci BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 14: Gennaro Gattuso, Head Coach of Marseille, looks on prior to the UEFA Europa League match between Brighton & Hove Albion v Olympique de Marseille at American Express Community Stadium on December 14, 2023 in Brighton, England. (Photo by) The Bianconeri posted the video of Gattuso's visit on YouTube. Gattuso was accompanied by Juventus legends Buffon and Bonucci, who are two of his closest collaborators with the national team. Bonucci is Gattuso's assistant coach, while Buffon has retained his role as Italy's Delegation Chief after Luciano Spalletti's sacking in June. Gattuso will make his debut as Italy's head coach against Estonia on September 5.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Buffon confirms Gattuso for Italy: ‘Best possible decision'
Italy team manager Gigi Buffon confirms they will appoint Gennaro Gattuso as the new coach. 'We made the best possible decision.' The Azzurri were without a tactician after sacking Luciano Spalletti in the wake of the 3-0 defeat to Norway, though he remained on the bench for the 2-0 victory over Norway. Advertisement 'We worked, we are waiting for the final details now,' Buffon told RAI Sport. 'The President and the Federation had some pretty full days full of various moments. I think at the end of the day we made the best possible decision.' Gattuso will be the new Italy coach BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 14: Gennaro Gattuso, Head Coach of Marseille, looks on prior to the UEFA Europa League match between Brighton & Hove Albion v Olympique de Marseille at American Express Community Stadium on December 14, 2023 in Brighton, England. (Photo by) The first choice had been Claudio Ranieri, but he had already made a commitment to be Roma special advisor and announced his retirement from coaching. Although there were candidates including Stefano Pioli, Daniele De Rossi and Fabio Cannavaro, it quickly became apparent that Gattuso was the favourite. There were meetings with Buffon and then with FIGC President Gabriele Gravina to organise the details of the contract. REGGIO NELL'EMILIA, ITALY – JUNE 09: (L-R) Luciano Spalletti head coach of Italy and Gianluigi Buffon during the FIFA 2026 Qualifier between Italy and Moldova at Mapei Stadium – Citta' del Tricolore on June 09, 2025 in Reggio nell'Emilia, Italy. (Photo by) 'We are trying to push ourselves first and foremost, but the most important thing is that we avoid embarrassing performances that are unworthy of Italy,' added Buffon. Advertisement 'There are different ways to lose and I think we can avoid the worst kind with a few minor adjustments.' The Nazionale are back in action with another 2026 World Cup qualifier against Estonia on September 5, then Israel on September 8.
CNA
14-06-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Buffon confirms Gattuso set to become Italy manager
Italy are set to appoint their former midfielder Gennaro Gattuso as new manager to replace the recently sacked Luciano Spalletti, Gianluigi Buffon, head of delegation with the Italian football federation (FIGC), said on Saturday. "We have worked, we are now waiting for the final details," Buffon, speaking at the Under-21 European Championship, told Italy's state broadcaster RAI when asked to confirm that Gattuso would be announced as the new coach. "The president and the whole federation have had some busy days but I think that in the end we made the best choice." Spalletti's sacking came after less than two years in the job, taking charge for the final time in the 2-0 win over Moldova the day after he announced his own dismissal following a 3-0 loss in Norway in Italy's opening World Cup qualifying game. Gattuso, who made 73 appearances for Italy and was a member of the 2006 World Cup winning squad, recently left Croatian club Hajduk Split by mutual consent, after a third-placed finish in the country's top flight.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Italy coach: Possible key day for Gattuso after five Buffon calls
Italy coach: Possible key day for Gattuso after five Buffon calls Gennaro Gattuso spoke with Italy Delegation Chief Gianluigi Buffon five times on Tuesday, and today could be key to the appointment of the former midfielder as the new Azzurri head coach. Former Milan and Italy midfielder Gattuso, a 2006 World Cup winner with La Nazionale, is in line to replace Spalletti as Italy's head coach. Key date for Gattuso appointment as Italy coach Marseille head coach Gennaro Gattuso looks on during the warm up prior to the UEFA Europa League Group B first leg football match between Olympique de Marseille (OM) and Brighton and Hove Albion at the Stade Velodrome, in Marseille on October 5, 2023. (Photo by Nicolas TUCAT / AFP) (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP via Getty Images) Sportitalia editor Michele Criscitiello has reported that today could be a key day for the appointment of the former midfielder. Gattuso talks to Buffon over Italy role REGGIO NELL'EMILIA, ITALY – JUNE 09: (L-R) Luciano Spalletti head coach of Italy and Gianluigi Buffon during the FIFA 2026 Qualifier between Italy and Moldova at Mapei Stadium – Citta' del Tricolore on June 09, 2025 in Reggio nell'Emilia, Italy. (Photo by) On Tuesday, Gattuso spoke with Italy Delegation Chief Gigi Buffon, one of his fellow Italy teammates from 2006, five times over the phone. Advertisement Gattuso, a former Hajduk Split coach, is currently not in Italy, but is enjoying a few days off in Marbella. His contract with the Italian national team would expire at the end of the 2026 World Cup. Spalletti took charge of his last Italy game on Monday, beating Moldova 2-0. However, the previous 3-0 loss away to Norway proved costly for the ex-Azzurri boss.
