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Sir Richard Owen
Sir Richard Owen (1804-1892) was an English paleontologist, biologist,
and comparative anatomist
- He is perhaps best known for having coined
the term "dinosaur" (or actually "dinosauria") in 1842 - it
means "terrible reptile".
- Owen created, in conjunction with Benjamin
Waterhouse Hawkins, the first full-size dinosaur reconstructions.
These were originally produced for the Great Exhibition of 1851
and displayed
in Crystal Palace, London,
with a total of 33 models eventually produced.
Perhaps the most famous story about these models, is that Owen hosted a dinner for 21 prominent men of
science inside the model of
Iguanodon
New Year's Eve,
1853.
The surviving models
are today located in
Dinosaur Court
in the Crystal Palace area of South
London.
- Owen was perhaps the person most directly responsible for the foundation of the
British Museum (Natural History)
in South Kensington,
London,
England,
which is today of course known as the
"Natural History Museum".
Owen was born on
July 20th
n 1804, in Lancaster,
England.
He was educated in Lancaster Royal Grammar School,
the University of
Edinburgh,
and in
St Bartholomew's Hospital
London.
Although Owen considered a career as a surgeon, he was in fact more interest
in anatomical research. He eventually accepted a position as
assistant to the conservator of the museum of the Royal College of Surgeons,
and abandoned medical practice.
In 1836, Owen was appointed as a Hunterian professor of the Royal College of Surgeons,
in 1849, he became the
conservator of the museum of the Royal College of Surgeons,
and then in 1856, he became superintendent of the natural history department
of the
British Museum.
His work with the
British Museum
including creating a new Natural History building in
South Kensington
(today the Natural History Museum),
and in 1884 he was knighted.
Owen retired, and died in 1892 in Sheen Lodge,
Richmond Park,
South
London.
During his career, Owen wrote numerous scientific papers, including anatomic descriptions
of many animals, including both vertebrates and invertebrates, and both extant and extinct
(fossil) animals.
He was even granted right of first refusal of any animal carcasses from
London Zoo,
and, as result, according to legend, his wife once returned home to
find a dead rhinoceros in the hallway of their house.
Although Owen recognized many similarities between different animals,
Owen took them as evidence of "archetypes" in god's mind, rather than
as evidence of common descent.
After
Charles Darwin
published "On the Origin of Species by Natural Selection",
in 1859, Owen, in his position with the
British Museum,
received many letters (pro-, anti- and inquiries) concerning the book, and initially avoiding expressing a view,
but rather argued in favor of a new Natural History Museum.
However, in 1860, an anonymously bylined review of
"On the Origin of Species by Natural Selection"
written by Richard Owen, appeared in the Edinburgh Review, and Owen gradually
became engaged in a fierce and bitter dispute with
Darwin's followers,
especially T. H. Huxley.
Nevertheless, a fossil of
one of the transitional animals
(Archaeopteryx) predicted by
Charles Darwin was bought by
Owen for the
British Museum
in 1863 (although Owen described it as simply a bird, rather than a proto-bird or
transitional form).
Aside from the controversies over evolution and Natural Selection,
Owen was also involved in a number of other
controversies and disputes during his career.
Although he began on friendly terms with Owen,
Darwin
himself wrote
"I used to be ashamed of hating him so much, but now I will carefully cherish my hatred and contempt to the last days of my life".
Related Information & Resources
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Related Books
Here are some books from Amazon.com:
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By Richard Owen
Euston Grove Press
Released: June 1st, 2013
Paperback (50 pages)
 | Lowest New Price: $9.99*
In Stock.*
*(As of 14:35 Pacific 1 Jul 2022 More Info)
Click Here | Description:
Geology and Inhabitants of the Ancient World (15) (Crystal Palace Guides)- Manufacturer: Euston Grove Press
- Brand: Euston Grove Press
- ISBN: 1906267367
- EAN: 9781906267360
- PartNumber: black & white illustrations
Details:- Paperback
- Number of Pages: 50
- Author: Richard Owen
- Publication Date: June 1st, 2013
- Release Date: June 1st, 2013
Physical Description:- Size: 8.27 Inches by 5.83 Inches by 0.1 Inches
- Weight: 0.16093745126 Pounds
Click here for more information |
|
By Richard Scrivener
Austin Macauley
Released: September 30th, 2021
Paperback (70 pages)
 | List Price: $10.95*
Lowest New Price: $3.87*
In Stock.*
*(As of 14:35 Pacific 1 Jul 2022 More Info)
Click Here | Description:
Dinosaur Dan- Manufacturer: Austin Macauley
- ISBN: 1398411388
- EAN: 9781398411388
Details:- Paperback
- Number of Pages: 70
- Author: Richard Scrivener
- Publication Date: September 30th, 2021
- Release Date: September 30th, 2021
Physical Description:- Size: 9.21 Inches by 6.14 Inches by 0.19 Inches
- Weight: 0.32 Pounds
Click here for more information |
|
By Meredith Rusu
Scholastic Inc.
Released: April 24th, 2018
Paperback (128 pages)
 | Lowest New Price: $6.99*
In Stock.*
*(As of 14:35 Pacific 1 Jul 2022 More Info)
Click Here | Description:
Owen's Guide to Survival (LEGO Jurassic World)- Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
- Brand: Scholastic Inc.
- ISBN: 1338238027
- EAN: 9781338238020
- PartNumber: 27589387
Details:- Paperback
- Format: Illustrated
- Edition: Media tie-in
- Number of Pages: 128
- Author: Meredith Rusu
- Publication Date: April 24th, 2018
- Release Date: April 24th, 2018
Physical Description:- Size: 7.6 Inches by 5.3 Inches by 0.5 Inches
- Weight: 0.45 Pounds
Click here for more information |
|
By Meredith Rusu
Scholastic Inc.
Released: September 3rd, 2019
Paperback (32 pages)
 | Lowest New Price: $15.10*
In Stock.*
*(As of 14:35 Pacific 1 Jul 2022 More Info)
Click Here | Description:
Owen to the Rescue (LEGO Jurassic World: Reader with Stickers)- Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
- Brand: Scholastic Inc.
- ISBN: 1338539205
- EAN: 9781338539202
Details:- Paperback
- Format: Sticker Book
- Number of Pages: 32
- Author: Meredith Rusu
- Publication Date: September 3rd, 2019
- Release Date: September 3rd, 2019
Physical Description:- Size: 9.0 Inches by 6.0 Inches by 0.25 Inches
- Weight: 0.2 Pounds
Click here for more information |
|
By Michael K. Brett-Surman
Weldon Owen
Hardcover (192 pages)
 | List Price: $19.95*
Lowest Used Price: $4.99*
In stock. Usually ships within 3 to 4 days.*
*(As of 14:35 Pacific 1 Jul 2022 More Info)
Click Here | Description:
Children's Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs- Manufacturer: Weldon Owen
- ISBN: 1921530634
- EAN: 9781921530630
- PartNumber: 43186-140712
Details:- Hardcover
- Number of Pages: 192
- Author: Michael K. Brett-Surman
Physical Description:Features:Click here for more information |
|
By Richard Owen
Independently published
Released: May 6th, 2022
Paperback (41 pages)
 | Lowest New Price: $5.55*
In Stock.*
*(As of 14:35 Pacific 1 Jul 2022 More Info)
Click Here | Description:
Geology and Inhabitants of the Ancient World- Manufacturer: Independently published
- EAN: 9798818758329
Details:- Paperback
- Number of Pages: 41
- Author: Richard Owen
- Publication Date: May 6th, 2022
- Release Date: May 6th, 2022
Physical Description:- Size: 10.0 Inches by 7.0 Inches by 0.11 Inches
Click here for more information |
|
By Carol Sumerel Harrison
Cartwheel
Released: November 1st, 1998
Hardcover (40 pages)
 | List Price: $16.99*
Lowest Used Price: $5.75*
In stock. Usually ships within 3 to 4 days.*
*(As of 14:35 Pacific 1 Jul 2022 More Info)
Click Here | Description:
Dinosaurs Everywhere- Manufacturer: Cartwheel
- Brand: Cartwheel
- ISBN: 0590000896
- EAN: 9780590000895
- PartNumber: Illustrated
Details:- Hardcover
- Edition: First Edition
- Number of Pages: 40
- Authors: Carol Sumerel Harrison, Carol Harrison
- Publication Date: November 1st, 1998
- Release Date: November 1st, 1998
Physical Description:- Size: 12.0 Inches by 10.5 Inches by 0.5 Inches
- Weight: 1.04 Pounds
Features:- This book, with its big, full-color pictures and easy-to-understand text, is a good introduction to Dinosaurs.
- Double-page spreads cover such topics as what dinosaurs ate, how they defended themselves, animal behavior, their skeletons, and how babies were raised.
- Large, colorful illustrations show dinosaurs eating plants, attacking one another, and fossilized in museums.
- Some fairly recently discovered dinosaurs like the Seismosaurus and Maiasaura are included, as are celebrities like Tyrannosaurus and Velociraptor.
- Aimed at PreSchool through Grade 3-4 aged children. Grade Level equivalent: 5.4.
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