Keith Smith

@drkeithsmith.bsky.social

3502 Followers 41 Following

PhD, occasional astronomer, talking head, science geek, cynic. Senior Editor at @Science.org, responsible for research papers in astronomy and planetary science. Views own, duh. Bio: https://www.science.org/content/author/keith-t-smith

Text on an information board that reads:

What set Mary apart from other collectors at the time was her dedication to collecting fossils, her skill at preparing the fossils and her knowledge of geology and palaeontology. Recorded, despite the patronising tone, in 1824 in the diary of Lady Harriet Silvester:
"It is certainly a wonderful instance of divine favour - that this poor, ignorant girl should be so blessed, for by reading and application she has arrived to that degree of knowledge as to be in the habit of writing and talking with professors and other clever men on the subject, and they all acknowledge that she understands more of the science than anyone else in this kingdom.”