I Confess I Could Not But Wonder At It

Environmental & Science Education
STEM
Microbiology
History of Science
Technology
Edward Hessler

An animated video by Flora Lichtman and Sharon Shattuck celebrates the life of a person who was passionately curious about something, the small business owner, a textile dealer turned part-time microscopist, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.

His observations led to the publication of a letter in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society in 1677.  Here is the title: "Observations, communicated to the publisher by Mr. Antony van Leewenhoek, in a dutch letter of the 9th Octob. 1676. here English'd: concerning little animals by him observed in rain-well-sea- and snow water; as also in water wherein pepper had lain infused."

In a letter written 12 June 1766 he wrote, "My work, which I've done for a long-time was not pursued to gain the praise I now enjoy, but chiefly from a craving after knowledge which I notice resides in me more than most other men."