“He had waited for years to see the world and knew that he was putting his life in danger, but he wanted to see more.” _ In 1799, Humboldt was initiated into his explorations of South America with an earthquake, being violently rocked in his hammock. _ People ran through the streets screaming and buildings crumbled but he remained calm, climbing out of his hammock to upright his instruments and conduct scientific observations. _ He timed the aftershocks, noted how the quakes rippled from north to south, and took electric measurements. _ Despite being composed and collected on the outside, he was deeply shaken inside. “Water was the element of motion, not the earth.” _ Reading The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf, inspired by Humboldt’s dedication to understanding the connectedness of all things - something, somehow, many of us have forgotten along the way. _ Everything is in a state of liquidity. _ #belikewater #humboldt #alexandervonhumboldt #andreawulf #inventionofnature #weboflife #rolandsandsdesign #weareallconnected and yes, anything with that name is named after him.