Guillem Colom, nature and science

The exhibition "Guillem Colom, natura i ciència" can be visited until February 18 at the Sa Riera Building of the UIB. The exhibition, organised by the Museu Balear de Ciències Naturals supported by "Sa Nostra" and the UIB, immerses us into the world of the Mallorcan scientist, Guillem Colom i Casasnovas, who in the XX century was the great promoter of natural science in the Balearics.

Guillem Colom (Sóller, 1900 - 1993) was particularly interested in insects. Thanks to the microscope he was able to discover the protozoas (animals of only one cell), studying particularly the marine protozoa called foraminiferas, that he collected on the beaches of Soller and Pollença.

The Mallorcan geologist, Bartomeu Darder, encouraged Guillem Colom to study the foraminifera fossils (minute fossils that can be found in some of the Mallorcan mountains that had been submerged in the sea). Colom dedicated all his life to the study of foraminifera fossils, discovering over 300 new species.

Colom asked about the geological origin of the Mallorcan mountains and the study of the microscopic fossils enabled him to reconstruct the evolution of the Balearics over millions of years. In 1975 he published "Geología de Mallorca" that became the first complete work on the origin of the Islands.

Colom was the first great informer on the natural history of the Balearics and his books were very successful among the Mallorcan society in the mid XX century. He was also a keen artist, illustrating his extensive bibliographical work about his speciality. Recently the Fundación Barceló presented the exhibition ""Aquarel·les del Geòleg Guillem Colom i Casasnovas (1900 - 1993)" showing part of his artistic work.

Photo © RSR

Datum: 20/01/2001

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