Ernst Haeckel: biography, scientific work. Haeckel's contribution to biology

After dedicating his life to the study of living nature, Ernst Haeckel made many discoveries and made a great contribution to science. More information about the scientific activities of the scientist find out later in the article.

Ernst Haeckel: Biography

German philosopher and naturalist E. Haeckel was born in Potsdam in 1834. After graduating from the school in Miesburg, he studied medicine and science in Berlin, Würzburg universities. He defended his thesis on zoology at the University of Jena. In 1858 he received a doctor's degree.

Ernst Haeckel showed an unusual interest in microscopic anatomy and zoology. In 1859 he went on an expedition to Italy, where he studied plankton, sponges, worms, and discovered new types of radiolarians. Upon his return, the scientist occupies the post of professor, and then assistant professor at the University of Jena and teaches comparative anatomy.

Since 1863 active social and scientific activity begins. He gives a speech on Darwinism, issues his printed works, and formulates scientific theories. At the end of the XIX century, the researcher went on an expedition to Egypt, Algeria, the islands of Madeira and Ceylon. Later he traveled around Syria, Corsica, Tenerife, Norway, Gibraltar and other places, studying their fauna and making sketches.

In 1867, Ernst Haeckel married Agnes Huschke. They have a son Walter, daughter of Emma and Elizabeth. The death of his wife in 1915 greatly affected the health and well-being of the scientist. He died in Germany on August 9, 1919.

Research and publications

The receipt of the doctor's diploma did not affect the professional activity of the scientist. In many respects, his research and worldview was influenced by communication with Charles Darwin. Books Ernst Haeckel begins to publish since 1866. His first work is called "General morphology of organisms." After a while, the book "The Natural History of Peacekeeping" is published, where he speaks in support of evolutionary theory.

In 1866 he forms an improved version of the biogenetic law formulated several years earlier. In this regard, Ernst Haeckel is building a theory of gastras, which explains the origin of multicellular organisms from unicellular organisms. This makes Haeckel known in the scientific community.

In 1874 published the publication "Anthropogeny, or the History of Human Development," in which he expounds his next theory about the existence of an intermediate link between the monkey and man.

During the expedition in Africa and Asia, he wrote works on jellyfish, deep-sea fish, radiolarians, after which he devotes a book "Systematic phylogeny" to the research of these organisms. In all, Ernst Haeckel wrote about 26 works, some of them translated into Russian.

General morphology of organisms

Another discipline, in the development of which Ernst Haeckel made a significant contribution, is ecology. In his first book, "The general morphology of organisms," the scientist puts forward the theory of the need to separate it into a separate biological discipline. In his opinion, the complex processes of interaction between living organisms and their connection with the environment should be the subject of a study of science called ecology.

Ernst Haeckel believed that the main task of this discipline is to study the organic and inorganic conditions of the environment, to which living organisms are forced to adapt. Under the inorganic nature of the scientist understood climatic factors, such as light, atmospheric electricity, moisture, heat, as well as the composition of soil and water. To organic Haeckel related all types of relationships between organisms.

Biogenetic Law

Inspired by evolutionary theory, Haeckel formulated a law, which is also called the Haeckel-Muller law. It is based on the assumption that during development, the individual organism repeats the forms of the main stages of its evolution. That is, while observing the development of the embryo, one can trace how the natural formation of its species took place.

For the first time such a hypothesis was put forward by Charles Darwin in the publication "Origin of Species", but it was not very clear. In 1864, Fritz Muller, in his book For Darwin, says that the historical development of a species is reflected in the development of the individual. Two years later Haeckel, on the basis of his own research, gave a clear formulation of these thoughts under the name of the biogenetic law.

The law is often used as evidence of Darwinian theory, although at present there are many facts that can disprove its correctness. For example, in the initial stages, the development of vertebrates is not the same. Similarities are noted only at later stages.

The theory of gastres

Based on the biogenetic law, Ernst Heinrich Haeckel creates a theory that explains the origin of multicellular organisms from unicellular organisms. In his opinion, the first multicellular creature had similar features with a gastrula - an embryonic form consisting of a layer of outer and inner cells.

According to the theory, the unicellular organism began division, in which the daughter cells did not diverge, but formed a cluster. Subsequently, they began to differ in functional and anatomical features - some responsible for movement, others for digestion. Thus, according to Haeckel's theory, a multicellular organism was formed, which was named gastrea. He reminded the first coelenterates animals.

Conclusion

During his life, Ernst Heinrich Haeckel published many works, introduced the terms ecology, pithecanthropus, ontogeny and phylogeny into science. Exploring the marine animal world in expeditions, he discovered more than a hundred kinds of radiolarians. Haeckel was one of the first zoologists in Germany to join the theory of Darwin. Supporting the evolutionary theory in his studies, he tried to determine the system of development of the animal kingdom, formulated the biogenetic law and the theory of the origin of multicellular organisms.