Emma Richter facts for kids

Emma Richter was a German scientist who studied ancient life, especially amazing creatures called Trilobites. She was born on March 4, 1888, and passed away on November 15, 1956. Her work helped us understand more about these fascinating prehistoric animals.

A Life Studying Fossils

Emma Richter dedicated her life to the study of fossils. She spent about 45 years working as a volunteer at the Senckenberg Museum in Germany. She worked alongside her husband, Rudolf Richter, who was also a paleontologist.

New Ways to Study Trilobites

During the First World War, Emma represented her husband at the museum. She developed a new method to study trilobites. This method was called "paloecological-biofacial assessment." It helped scientists understand how trilobites lived and where they lived.

Emma and Rudolf worked on many projects together. They studied over 500 images of trilobites for their book. The book was titled Die Trilobiten des Oberdevons Beiträge zur Kenntnis devonischer Trilobiten. They also created a huge database with more than 44,000 images. This database helped them compare different types of trilobites.

Awards and Recognition

Emma Richter's hard work and discoveries were recognized by other scientists.

• In 1934, she became an honorary member of the Paleontological Society of America.
• In 1949, she received a special honorary doctorate degree from the University of Tübingen. This is a very high honor given to people who have made important contributions.

Emma Richter passed away on November 15, 1956. Her husband, Rudolf, passed away just two months later.

Family Life

Emma Richter married Rudolf Richter in 1913. He was also a paleontologist, so they shared a passion for studying ancient life. They had one daughter together.