James Dwight Dana

James Dwight Dana:

James D. Dana (1813-1895) He is one of my greatest hero’s.  So much so I named one of my kids after him (bonus points if you can name which one).  He was THE American geologist, mineralogist, and volcanologist and zoologist.  He pioneered studies in orogany and the structures continents and oceans and how they relate.  He is the one who came up with our modern classification of minerals (by their chemistry) in his books “a System of Mineralogy” (1837) and his “Manual of Mineralogy” (1863).  He also wrote 212 other papers and books.  Many are still referenced by mineralogists and geologists.  He also wrote papers and books on coral and coral islands, insects, and crustaceans.  He also wrote on the Hawaiian islands and used them to make models of volcanoes.  He also wrote several manuscripts trying to reconcile science and the bible.

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