Question: whos your favourite scientist

Thomas Clements answered on 18 Mar 2015:

Of all time? Such a tough question but I’ll go for Gideon Mantell.

He was a dashing chap (1790-1852) who worked as a doctor in sussex. In his spare time he loved geology and more importantly all the weird bones of giants that were found in the local quarries.

He was a great scientist, because he wasn’t happy with the explanation that these bones came from giants because weirdly they looked like they came from huge reptiles! Over time his collection became bigger and bigger until he opened his own museum. Many years past until one day some miners gave him a huge jaw and teeth, and with these he identified a new type of ancient animal for the very first time – Iquanadon, the very first dinosaur discovered!!!

Unfortunately, his life does not have a happy ending. He died pennyless and his wife and son abandoned him because he spent too much time working on fossils. Much of his work was stolen by his great rival Richard Owen. Gideon Mantell died after sustaining an awful injury by falling from a carriage and then a horrendous addiction to painkillers. Many years later his work was recognised and he was credited with discovering the first dinosaur. He was a great man 😀