Grigore Cobalcescu (1831-1892)

Romanian geologist and paleontologist. He was member of the Romanian Academy and the first Professor of geology and mineralogy at the University of Jassy. His work "Calcarul de la Rapidea of 1862, was the first Romanian work on geology. Here he shared the idealistic view of the catastrophic appearance of animals. After knowing Darwinism, his opinion suffered a permutation towards becoming one of the most radical exponents of this theory in our country, and guiding to this his students: N. Leon, Gr. Antipa, D. Voinov, E. Racovita et al. He chose Eastern Carpathians for his stratigraphical, petrographical and paleontological research areas. The outcome of the researches carried out were presented in his "Geological and Paleontological Studies on Tertiary Lands from Some Parts of Romania" (1883). Geological prospecting in the Eastern Carpathians let him see the oil fields in this part of the country and to ascertain the inorganic source of oil.

Last update: 2004, October 27
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