[CobaltBlue]

In point of fact, Anton van Leeuwenhoek was introduced to the British Royal Society fairly early on and carried on a correspondence with that august body (which included Isaac Newton, Christopher Wren, Humphrey Davy and Robert Boyle) for many years. Leeuwenhoek invented the microscope in 1668 and began corresponding with the Royal Society in 1673, only five years later.

In fact, the Royal Society itself was only formed in 1660, immediately after the Restoration of Charles II.

He wasn't some wild man out in the wilderness, ignored by snooty ignoramuses posing as scientists.

I could see how that trope would appeal to fundamentalists.

[djf]

I personally don't know of a single soul who would describe me as a "fundamentalist".
The fact remains that alot of folks are gonna get real bent over the next advance in physics. As a mainframe computer engineer, I don't have a dog in that hunt.

But it will be interesting to watch.

[furball4paws]

Right on CB. The Book "Antony van Leeuwenhoek and his 'Little Animals'" is still around. Some of his descriptions are so good that the organism can actually be identified today, i.e. Vorticella. He was hardly ignored because the Royal Society was the best thing going at the time. He was, however, at least 100 years before his time, though.