I read an article, a recent one, about a kind of tree being "discovered" by some European research team. Within the article, it said the people who lived in that particular forest had known about that kind of tree for ages. They had multiple names for it, uses, etc.
Yet without any irony at all ... They attributed the "discovery" to this European researcher.
It's the same reason much of our knowledge of some ancient European and African cultures comes from the romans: they were the first, and in many cases only society to save written accounts of those cultures. By taking a written account of something and publishing that account, it becomes available to the rest of humanity. That said, it is still important to honor the original native names and note that something was previously known by the natives of the area prior to its formal documentation.
I mean yeah the researcher discovered it in the name of science and probably took all measures to properly categorize the species and name it and stuff.
I mean yeah, you just said it... the researcher didn't discover a thing, they categorized it.
Which doesn't sound nearly as noble and cool does it?
Also, nothing is done "in the name of science". Science is a process of observation, not a philosophy or ideology. It isn't a religion or a monarchy. You would no sooner do something "in the name of addition" than you would for science.
The Kon-Tiki expedition in 1947 proved that you could cross this Ocean by the means available to these Polynesians, and that they could very well have traveled to/from South America.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kon-Tiki_expedition
The film Kon-Tiki from 2012 describes the journey: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kon-Tiki_(2012_film)
its amazing how they were able to reach these small remote islands like that. in craft most people today wouldnt take out on a calm lake they travelled between distant specs of lands by stars and birds. if they were able to reach hawaii or easter island it really shouldnt be a stretch they could reach the west coast of the americas.
This magazine is dedicated to discussions on scientific discoveries, research, and theories across various fields, including physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, and more. Whether you are a scientist, a science enthusiast, or simply curious about the world around us, this is the place for you. Here you can share your knowledge, ask questions, and engage in discussions on a wide range of scientific topics. From the latest breakthroughs to historical discoveries and ongoing research, this category covers a wide range of topics related to science.