Louis Agassiz

Born in Switzerland in 1807, Louis Agassiz trained in medicine and natural history before building an international reputation as a zoologist, geologist, and paleontologist. He became especially well known for his work on fossil fish and for arguing that much of Europe had once been covered by ice, helping popularize early glacier and Ice Age studies.

After moving to the United States, he became a major public figure in science and founded Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology, serving as its first director. He was also a gifted lecturer and teacher whose books and talks introduced many readers to the excitement of studying nature firsthand.

Agassiz died in 1873. While he was celebrated in his lifetime, his legacy is now viewed more critically as well: alongside his important scientific work, he promoted racist theories of human difference that are widely rejected today.