As if by magic from here on HN - https://www.science.org/content/article/can-wealthy-family-c...
replyIf you don’t know the canopy raft, prepare to enjoy:
replyhttps://www.reforestaction.com/en/magazine/francis-halle-and...
Francis Halle dedicated his whole life to forest, I recommend any of his book if you find one in your language.
More pictures as videos here https://rainforestslefilm.wordpress.com/forests-canopy-raft/
A good chunk of early science was basically funded by nobility sponsoring scientists as sort of… conversation pieces, basically, right? I’m not sure if that gig is still available.
replyOne could argue all science is still funded that way. My team is funded by a philanthrophist. NSF "royalty" re-distributes the peasant's taxes to do science. Etc.
replyThe majority of early explorers and researchers sought philanthropist to support their desire to explore. They sold the dream to pay for their plan. The frontiers are more specialized now. Getting funding to "explore Africa" would be a hard sell.
replyThis was also National Geographic’s modus operandi. They kickstarted exploration. Much of it would have happened eventually but it’d nice to have historical glimpses of what used to be.
replyYes. Read up on "gentleman scholars" from before the 20th century. An astonishing amount of all our foundational knowledge about the universe comes from wealthy dudes (or with wealthy patrons) exploring science for the sheer hell of it.
replyAnd when I say astonishing, I mean it. Almost all the foundations of every field were built this way.
Did wealthy dudes stop doing science at some point?
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