Robert Plot facts for kids
Robert Plot (born 1640, died 1696) was a very curious English scientist. He loved studying nature and old things. He became the first Professor of Chemistry at the University of Oxford and also the first person in charge of the famous Ashmolean Museum.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Robert Plot was born in a town called Borden, Kent, in England, on December 13, 1640. He went to school in Kent at the Wye Free School. Later, he went to Magdalen Hall, Oxford in 1658. He worked hard and earned his first degree in 1661 and a master's degree in 1664.
After finishing his studies, Robert Plot taught at Magdalen Hall. He also continued his own learning, earning more advanced degrees in 1671. He then moved to University College in 1676.
Discoveries in Nature and Science
Robert Plot became very interested in studying nature and old objects. In 1674, he started exploring the countryside around Oxford. He collected and studied many interesting things.
The Natural History of Oxford-shire
Three years later, in 1677, he published a book called The Natural History of Oxford-shire. In this book, he wrote about and drew pictures of different rocks, minerals, and fossils.
- He drew the very first picture of a dinosaur bone ever known!
- He thought this bone belonged to a giant human.
- Much later, scientists realized it was actually the leg bone (femur) of a Megalosaurus, a type of dinosaur.
- Interestingly, Robert Plot believed that most fossils were not the remains of living things. He thought they were just mineral salts that had grown into shapes that looked like animals.
People really liked his book. They even called him "the learned Dr. Plot." Because of his success, he was chosen to join the Royal Society of London in 1677. This was a very important group of scientists. He even helped edit their science magazine, Philosophical Transactions, for a few years.
Ashmolean Museum and Chemistry
In 1683, Robert Plot was given two very important jobs. He became the first person to manage the new Ashmolean Museum. This museum was built to hold many amazing collections. At the same time, he also became the first professor of chemistry at Oxford University. He taught in a new, well-equipped laboratory inside the museum.
In chemistry, he looked for a special liquid called a universal solvent. He thought this solvent could be made from wine spirits. He also believed that alchemy (an old form of chemistry) was important for making medicines.
Other Books and Observations
In 1684, Plot wrote a book called De origine fontium. In this book, he explained where springs come from. He thought they came from underground channels connected to the sea.
His next book, The Natural History of Staffordshire, came out in 1686. In this book, he focused more on archaeology, which is the study of old human history.
- He described a rare event where you could see a double sunset from a town called Leek.
- He also wrote about the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, a very old traditional dance.
- For the first time, he described the "Polish swan," which is a lighter-colored version of the mute swan.
Later Life and Passing
In 1690, Robert Plot left his jobs at Oxford. He got married to Rebecca Burman and moved back to his hometown of Borden. There, he started working on another book, The Natural History of Middlesex and Kent, but he never finished it.
In 1695, he was given a special role in the College of Heralds, which deals with coats of arms and family histories. Even though he was suffering from kidney stones, he went on a trip to explore old sites in England. Robert Plot passed away on April 30, 1696, when he was 55 years old. He was buried in Borden Church, where there is a plaque to remember him.
Additional Resources
- The Correspondence of Robert Plot in EMLO
- Robert Plot from the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
