Robert Harkness facts for kids

Robert Harkness was an important British geologist and mineralogist. Geologists study the Earth's rocks, landforms, and history. Mineralogists focus on minerals, which are the building blocks of rocks. Robert Harkness made many discoveries about rocks and fossils, helping us understand more about our planet's past.

Robert Harkness's Early Life and Education

Robert Harkness was born in Ormskirk, England, on July 28, 1816. When he was young, his family moved to the southwest of Scotland. He went to high school in Dumfries.

From 1833 to 1834, Robert studied at the University of Edinburgh. Here, he became very interested in geology. His teachers, Robert Jameson and JD Forbes, inspired him to learn about rocks and the Earth.

After university, he returned to Ormskirk. He worked hard studying the local rocks. He focused on the Coal-measures, which are layers of rock containing coal, and the New Red Sandstone. In 1843, he wrote his first scientific paper. It was about The Climate of the Coal Epoch, discussing what the climate was like when coal formed.

Robert Harkness's Career and Discoveries

In 1848, Robert Harkness moved back to Dumfries with his family. He started studying the Silurian rocks in southwest Scotland. Silurian rocks are very old, formed hundreds of millions of years ago. In 1849, he continued his research in Cumberland.

Over the next few years, he found a lot of new information. He learned about different rock layers, called strata, and the Fossils found within them. He was especially good at finding graptolites, which are fossils of tiny sea creatures. He shared his findings in papers presented to the Geological Society of London. He also wrote about the New Red rocks found in northern England and Scotland.

In 1853, Robert Harkness became a professor of geology. He taught at Queen's College, Cork in Ireland. In 1856, he was chosen as a fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very important group for scientists.

While teaching, he wrote articles about the geology of parts of Ireland. He was a great teacher and influenced many students. During his holidays, he often went back to England. He spent a lot of time studying the geology of the Lake District. He also regularly attended meetings of the British Association, a group for scientists. In 1854, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Later Career and Retirement

In 1876, the courses at Queen's Colleges in Ireland changed. Professor Harkness was asked to teach many new subjects. Besides geology, palaeontology (the study of fossils), mineralogy, and physical geography, he also had to teach zoology (the study of animals) and botany (the study of plants).

This was a lot of extra work. Because of the strain, he decided to leave his job and retire. He passed away soon after, in Dublin, on October 4, 1878.

Robert Harkness's Lasting Impact

Robert Harkness left a lasting impact on geology. To honor him, his sister created two special awards called Harkness scholarships.

One scholarship helps women study geology and palaeontology. It is for students at Girton or Newnham College, Cambridge. The other scholarship helps men who are studying at the University of Cambridge. These scholarships help new geologists continue the work that Robert Harkness loved.