French geologist (1798-1874) who proposed that mountain ranges formed in discrete episodes tied to the cooling and contraction of the Earth, and that the world's mountain systems followed a pattern of alignment along a small number of great circles. He led preparation of the first detailed geological map of France, taught geology at the Ecole des Mines from 1835, and served as perpetual secretary of the French Academy of Sciences from 1853, receiving the Wollaston Medal in 1843. His mountain-cooling theory was influential in nineteenth-century geology, though later superseded by plate tectonics. A general profile of the same person is also carried in the science atlas.
Sources
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.