Auguste Forel
A Swiss polymath who mapped the human brain with one hand while cataloging the intricate societies of ants with the other, bridging two worlds of complexity.
1848–1931 (age 83)·Swiss myrmecologist, neuroanatomist and psychiatrist·Birthday: September 1
Biography
Auguste Forel was a man of two intense, consuming passions: the human mind and the ant colony. As a neuroanatomist in Zurich, he made foundational discoveries, providing crucial evidence for the neuron theory that our nervous system is built from individual cells. He meticulously charted brain regions, seeking physical explanations for psychological phenomena. Simultaneously, he became the world's leading myrmecologist, publishing exhaustive studies that transformed ants from garden pests into subjects revealing social evolution. His career was not without dark contradiction; he was a vocal proponent of eugenics and temperance, believing both science and social control could perfect humanity. Later in life, plagued by the harm of his eugenic views, he turned towards pacifism and socialism. His legacy is a complex tapestry of brilliant empirical science intertwined with the problematic social ideals of his time.
#1 When Auguste Was Born
The biggest hits of 1848
Auguste's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1848Born
1853Started school
1861Became a teenager
President: Abraham Lincoln
1864Could drive
President: Abraham Lincoln
1866Could vote
President: Andrew Johnson
1869Turned 21
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1878Turned 30
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1888Turned 40
President: Grover Cleveland
1898Turned 50
Spanish-American War; US emerges as a world power
President: William McKinley
1908Turned 60
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1918Turned 70
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1928Turned 80
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1931Died at 83
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
Key Achievements
- His research on the brain's neuronal connections provided key evidence for the neuron theory, co-founding a cornerstone of modern neuroscience.
- Authored 'The Ants of Switzerland', a seminal work that established him as a preeminent global authority on myrmecology.
- Served as director of the Burghölzli asylum in Zurich, where he implemented more humane treatment methods for patients.
- His image was featured on the 1000 Swiss franc banknote for over two decades, from 1978 to 2000.
- Published early, influential works on human sexual psychology and the dangers of alcoholism.
Did You Know?
He once artificially colored ants with paint to track their movements and social interactions within the nest.
Forel suffered a stroke that paralyzed his right side, so he taught himself to write and conduct research with his left hand.
He was a committed vegetarian and teetotaler for much of his adult life.
The standard author abbreviation 'Forel' is used in botanical and zoological taxonomy to indicate his contributions.
“The human brain is a world consisting of a number of unexplored continents and great stretches of unknown territory.”
