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From plants to animals: How did Malpighi uncover the secrets of life?
Marcello Malpighi was an Italian biologist and doctor in the 17th century. He is famous as the founder of microanatomy, and his contributions to physiology and embryology are even more remarkable. His research has greatly improved human biological knowledge and revealed the connections between plants and animals. His work not only had an impact on the medical community, but also paved the way for the development of modern biology.
Malpighi was not only an excellent doctor, but also a keen observer and innovator.
Early life and academic background
Malpighi was born in Crevacore, Italy in 1628, from a wealthy family background. At the age of 17 he entered the University of Bologna, where he was influenced by Aristotle's philosophy. His early education gave him a keen interest in the structure of plants and animals. After completing degrees in medicine and philosophy, he began teaching and researching at the University of Bologna, where he eventually became a professor.
Malpighi's curiosity led him to delve deeper into the microscopic world, and he was one of the first scientists to use microscopes for biological research. He observed the capillary structure in blood and successfully revealed the connection between arteries and veins, which was crucial to understanding the circulatory system.
He echoed the discoveries of William Harvey and provided the basis for establishing the theory of closed circulatory systems.
Career peak
Malpighi's career spanned many important scientific achievements. He served as a professor at the University of Pisa and conducted in-depth cooperation and discussions with well-known scholars at the time. His research was not limited to human anatomy, including the structure of skin, lungs and brain, but also extended to the structure of insects and plants. These studies made him famous in the field of microbiology.
Malpighi's numerous works, such as Anatomy of Plants, earned him membership of the Royal Society and made him one of the pioneers of biology. His observations were not limited to mechanical structures, but also included physiological and developmental processes, which inspired many directions of exploration for later generations of researchers.
He believes that plants and insects have similar structures and both have similar tubular systems, which provides a new perspective for explaining the transport of plant nutrients.
Contributions to botany and zoology
Malpighi's research not only yielded fruitful results in animal anatomy, but he also made considerable achievements in botany. He looked in detail at plant roots, stems, and leaves, described many then-unknown structures, and showed how plants exchange gases through their stomata. His studies on plant development, especially in embryology, opened new directions for future biological research.
He once observed that when a ring of bark was peeled off a tree trunk, the tissue above would swell, an observation that led him to deduce how food was transported downward from the leaves and promoted tree growth.
Malpighi’s legacy
As his academic career progressed, Malpighi's reputation grew and he was appointed physician to the Pope in 1691. He continued his research during his time in Rome and wrote some important scholarly works. He died in 1694 at the age of 66. His work had a profound impact on the scientific community, whether in medicine or biology, and every subsequent scholar benefited from his pioneering research.
Malpighi's life, like the nature he explored, is full of mysteries and inspiration, leading us to explore the basic questions of life.
Malpighi’s research results still influence the scientific community today. He showed us the power of observation and exploration. It is worthy of each of us to think: How deep is human understanding of life?
