How the study of algae helped reveal one of biology’s most fundamental secrets: sex.
In the nineteenth century, botanist Nathanael Pringsheim (1823–1894) transformed the study of algae. Observing them under the microscope, he revealed sexuality in organisms then regarded as “lower” forms of life.
Archetypes of Sex tells the story of Pringsheim’s life and scientific work and places his discoveries in the emergence of modern biology.
The book explores:
the discovery of sexuality and fertilization in algae
Pringsheim’s remarkable family and the beginnings of marine biological research on Helgoland
his extraordinary scientific illustrations of the microscopic world
A richly illustrated journey through the history of biology, offering a new perspective on algae, sexuality, and one of the great biological discoveries of the nineteenth century.
