Birthdate: August 23, 1769
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Doubs, France
Died: May 13, 1832
Georges Cuvier, a French naturalist and zoologist, is known as the “founding father of paleontology.” His work in the early 19th century was pivotal in establishing comparative anatomy and paleontology by examining living animals alongside fossils. Cuvier’s contributions to vertebrate paleontology and taxonomy were fundamental, grouping classes into phyla and incorporating fossils into classification systems. He supported the idea of extinction, proposed catastrophic flooding as a cause, and made notable discoveries of extinct species such as the mastodon and Megatherium. Despite opposing early evolution theories, conducting racial studies with negative consequences, and writing influential works like “The Animal Kingdom,” Cuvier’s impact on the field remains significant.
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