Marcelo Sánchez: Paleontology

Although paleontologist Marcelo Sánchez has not intentionally followed in Alexander von Humboldt’s footsteps, there are several parallels between the two scientists. At the beginning of Humboldt’s five-year expedition to South America over 200 years ago, he discovered fossils of prehistoric elephants in northern Venezuela. And just a few years ago, in a desert region further to the west, Sánchez discovered the fossilized bones of giant guinea pigs, predator species, giant crocodile species and giant turtles. “We both share the amazement over the origin of life on our planet and the immense diversity of animal species that have arisen through evolutionary changes over millions of years,” says Sánchez. Much like the Prussian scholar, Sánchez does not shy away from difficult and dirty fieldwork and all that it entails – heat, dust, dirt, parasites and insects – in regions plagued by political instability, poor infrastructure and bumpy roads. “When it gets really uncomfortable, I just think of how difficult it must have been for Humboldt back then,” says the Zurich-based researcher, who was born in Argentina and grew up in Venezuela. "Researchers in the field can sometimes be rather undisciplined," explains Sánchez. Humboldt also showed this tendency – having the manic desire to collect everything, working in an unrestrained manner – in his excavations. However, he was also well aware that the most important moment came when actually writing down his findings. “It's exactly the same with me,” says Sánchez, who, like Humboldt, sees himself as a holistic natural historian. “Describing and analyzing what you’ve found requires patience and precision. True scientific findings only arise when you put pen to paper.”

Alice Werner; English translation by Gena Olson