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I quite like renegade scientists, such as John Woodward (1665-1728), much better known for his geological works, who was also interested in plant functioning (probably one of the first #EcoPhysiologists ). And he had read Bacon, Boyle and Van Helmont, and did nor agree with their hypothesis that all plant material was transmuted from water. And he did clearly say so in a letter to the Royal Society in 1699, describing the hydroponics experiments he had done. And he did so in clear terms : "They suppose that, by I cannot tell what Proces of Nature, Water is transmuted into Stones, into Plants, and , in brief all other substances whatever", and goes on to proof that this can not be the case. Unfortunately his results did not become rapidly well known, so the water hypothesis persisted still a while, Lavoisier in 1770 was still on the same track.
#ScienceHistory #HistoryOfScience #SciencePhilosophy #AcademicChatter
