Barghoorn, Elso S. (Elso Sterrenberg), 1915-1984

Elso Sterrenberg Barghoorn (1915-1984) was Fisher Professor of Natural History at Harvard University where he taught paleobotany, biology, and geology.

From the description of Papers of Elso Barghoorn, ca. 1937-1984 (inclusive). (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 77003965

Hoba West meterorite, Nov. 1971 12 miles west of Grootfontein, South West Africa

The paleobotanist Elso Barghoorn exerted an enormous influence on the scientific understanding of the early evolution of life on earth. After receiving his doctorate at Harvard in 1941, Barghoorn taught briefly at Amherst College before returning to Havard five years later, eventually becoming the Richard A. Fisher Professor of Natural History. A pioneer in paleopalynology, he he and two colleagues announced the startling discovery of a well-preserved Archaean fossil flora in 1954, including the first solid record of fossil bacteria and cyanobacteria from the Gunflint chert of Ontario. Culminating in a landmark 1965 publication (with Stanley Tyler), his work demonstrated conclusively the existence of unicellular fossils and helped to revolutionize study of deep evolutionary time.

From the guide to the Elso S. Barghoorn Journals MS 820., 1944-1984, (Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries)