Leonardo’s Fascination with Fossils

As a young man, Leonardo da Vinci explored the hills and valleys of Tuscany, and in 1480 he wrote about an encounter with the skeleton of a great “fish” under the earth. His discovery of what may have been a fossilized whale was followed by decades of interest in fossils and informed speculation about the history of the planet. Da Vinci went on to describe with some accuracy the sedimentation processes that built up layers of rock and led to deposits of fossils.

Join Kay Etheridge, professor of biology at Gettysburg College, as she examines how Leonardo’s fascination with geology and the history of the earth are reflected in his notebooks and his artworks—an example of the many ways in which Leonardo's art and science inform each other.

Patron Information

• If you register multiple individuals, you will be asked to supply individual names and email addresses so they can receive a Zoom link email. Please note that if there is a change in program schedule or a cancellation, we will notify you via email, and it will be your responsibility to notify other registrants in your group.
• Unless otherwise noted, registration for streaming programs typically closes two hours prior to the start time on the date of the program.
• Once registered, patrons should receive an automatic email confirmation from CustomerService@SmithsonianAssociates.org.
• Separate Zoom link information will be emailed closer to the date of the program. If you do not receive your Zoom link information 24 hours prior to the start of the program, please email Customer Service for assistance.
• View Common FAQs about our Streaming Programs on Zoom.