Science and Independence in Latin America (with Special Reference to New Granada)

Observations of a stratospheric aerosol <i>veil</i> from a tropical volcanic eruption in December 1808: is this the <i>Unknown</i> ∼1809 eruption?

“…Together, the accounts suggest that these phenomena were produced by a single low-latitude stratospheric volcanic eruption that occurred in late November or early December 1808. Glick (1991) and others have shown, Caldas and Unanue were leading figures in their respective circles and disciplines (Appel, 1994;Nieto et al, 2005;Nieto Olarte, 2007;Zimmerer, 2006;Cushman, 2011). They shared a profound interest in the varied climates of the territories of their birth, in Unanue's case particularly due to his concern for understanding the impact of climate phenomena on human health (Cushman, 2011).…”

“…This engagement with the science of the day required extensive investigations, for which they drew not only on their own work -as director of the Bogotá Observatory, for instance, Caldas established a regular programme of astronomical and meteorological observations (Caldas, 1912) -but also on that of a wide network of correspondents in towns and cities across modern-day Colombia and Peru. Their significance as scientists (and, in Caldas' case, as collaborator) were acknowledged by Alexander von Humboldt, whose own writings, many based on the results of his travels in Latin America between 1799 and 1804, are widely recognized as contributing to the development of modern geography, ecology and environmental sciences (Glick, 1991;Zimmerer, 2006;Cushman 2011).…”

Measuring Skulls: Race and Science in Vicente Riva Palacio's México a través de los siglos

“…Notions of biological human evolution and anthropological approaches developed in México a través de los siglos ( MAS ) have received only superficial attention from a few historians, despite their association with issues of race and national identity. Roberto Moreno (1984), in a pioneering study of Darwinism in Mexico (Glick, 1974, 1991), focussed on their reception, 2 and on the resulting criticism that emerged among the Mexican scientific community. However, he did not discuss Riva Palacio's re‐elaboration of evolutionism with its purpose of reconciling Mexico's indigenous past with national history.…”

“…Science has been seen as detached from social, cultural and political contexts, and immersed in ad hoc scientific practices and communities, mainly European and North American. See Basalla, 1967; Cohen, 1960; Chayut, 1994; Glick, 1991; Lafuente and Ortega, 1994; Selin, 1997; Turnbull, 1993–1994.…”

Painting as Exploration: Visualizing Nature in Eighteenth-Century Colonial Science*

“…1 Spanish-language studies include Díez Torre et al (1991); Frías Nú ñez (1994); González Bueno (1988); Gredilla (1982); Lafuente and Sala Catalá (1992); Lafuente, Elena, and Ortega (1993); Pimentel (1998Pimentel ( , 2003; Muñoz Garmendia (2003Garmendia ( , 2004; Nieto Olarte (2000); San Pío Aladrén (2000); Puerto Sarmiento (1988); Sánchez, Puig-Samper, and de la Sota (1987); and Villegas (1992) among others. The only two English-language monographs are Steele (1964) and Engstrand (1981); articles include Cañizares-Esguerra (2003; Gavroglu (1999); Glick (1991); Iliffe (2003); Lafuente and Valverde (2005); Lafuente (2000); Nieto Olarte (1993); and Pratt (1992). Some reasons for this neglect are discussed in Cañizares-Esguerra (2004) and Nieto-Galán (1999).…”