Our understanding of the interconnectedness of all life can be traced to one man and one moment. In 1802 Alexander Van Humboldt stood on a mountaintop. As he surveyed the land below, he thought of all the mountains he had climbed, jungles, rivers, prairies, and deserts he had traversed. He thought of the plants and animals he had seen along the way. In a flash of insight Humboldt recognized that everything was connected. This is his story and the stories of others who were inspired by his science. Through Darwin, Emerson, John Muir, and others, we can trace Von Humboldt’s ideas to our current concerns about climate change and the environment.

Topics: Climate Change, Environment, Panentheism