Science

Daniel Solander

Daniel Solander was born in Sweden in 1733. He was a student of the University of Uppsala where he studied languages and humanities. It was here that Solander met Carl Linnaeus. Solander’s aptitude impressed Linnaeus. He wrote to Solander’s father and convinced him that his son should study natural history. After working for Linnaeus in Sweden, Solander went to England where he met and mixed with the leading naturalists of the day. While in England, he promoted Linnaeus’ ideas and classification system. Solander worked for the British Museum, cataloguing their collections. For his work in the field of science, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1764.

Through his work and social activities, Solander met Joseph Banks, a naturalist and patron of science. In 1768, Banks invited Solander to join the scientific research team on board HMB Endeavour. Solander took leave from the British Museum to join the expedition. For the period of the voyage he received a salary of £400 a year (around £63,000 or A$111,00 in today’s money). Solander helped Banks document flora and fauna, some of which were previously unknown to Europeans. He was one of the botanists who inspired the name ‘Botanists Bay’ (which later became Botany Bay) because of the many plant samples he collected there. During the Endeavour’s voyage, Solander collected specimens from at least 8 countries. He became the first university-educated person to set foot in Australia, as well as the first Swedish person to circumnavigate the globe.

Joseph Banks

Joseph Banks was an influential figure during the British Enlightenment. He is renowned for his work in the fields of botany and biological science, as well as for his patronage of other scientific endeavours.

Born in London in 1743 to a wealthy landowning family, Banks was educated at the top schools of the day. He grew up in the Lincolnshire countryside and took an interest in nature and botany. Around 1760, he enrolled at the University of Oxford, studying natural history, which was unusual at the time. As a wealthy student, he was able to pay a renowned botanist from Cambridge to deliver lectures at Oxford University to ensure he received the best botanical instruction. Despite his interest in his studies, Banks left Oxford without gaining a degree in 1764.

Maintaining his interest in science and botany, Banks often visited the Chelsea Physic Garden and the British Museum in London. Banks met Daniel Solander at the British Museum and, through Solander, began writing to Carl Linnaeus.

Despite his youth, the wealthy and well-connected Banks came to hold great influence in scientific and social circles. He even became an adviser to King George III, urging him to support voyages of discovery to explore and learn about new lands.

Activities

1. What are the advantages to having a formalised classification system for plants and animals? What are the drawbacks? Critique the current system and suggest improvements.
    
2. Between them, Banks and Solander catalogued over 30,000 new plant species. This increased the number of species known to Western science by 10%.
   
   1. Is it possible that there are still such quantities of plant and/or animal species left on the planet to document? Is it likely that we can reach ‘peak discovery’ (a point where we have discovered all there is to know)? Have we already reached it? As a class, choose a standpoint, conduct further research and stage a debate.
       
3. Australia abounds with trees, shrubs and flowers found nowhere else on Earth.
   
   1. Document the different species of plants found in your school, neighbourhood or community.
   2. Work out which are native to Australia and which have been introduced.
   3. Which species are endemic to your region? Which are from other areas of Australia or abroad?
   4. Compile a florilegium with the results.