Grigore Cobălcescu (September 22, 1831 – May 21, 1892) was a

Moldavia Moldavia (, or ; in Romanian Cyrillic alphabet, Romanian Cyrillic: or ) is a historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester River. An initially in ...

n, later

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

n geologist and paleontologist who is credited with introducing both fields into his country. Born in

Iași Iași ( , , ; also known by other #Etymology and names, alternative names), also referred to mostly historically as Jassy ( , ), is the Cities in Romania, third largest city in Romania and the seat of Iași County. Located in the historical ...

, he graduated from the local Engineering and Architecture School in 1850. From that time until 1860, he taught at the city's high schools and actively promoted practical scientific education. From 1859 to 1862, he attended the

University of Paris The University of Paris (), known Metonymy, metonymically as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, from 1150 to 1970, except for 1793–1806 during the French Revolution. Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated wit ...

on a state scholarship, and returned with a degree in natural sciences. In January 1864, he became a professor at the

University of Iași The Alexandru Ioan Cuza University (; acronym: UAIC) is a public university located in , Romania. Founded by an 1860 decree of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, under whom the former was converted to a university, the University of , as it was named ...

, in the philosophy faculty's physiology and geology department; he had begun teaching a course on natural sciences there in April 1862, as a volunteer. He remained a professor at the university until his death, and was dean of the sciences faculty from 1867 to 1870. He was also involved in social and political life, and became

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

for the university in 1872. He was one of the few who protested against the commercial convention with

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

, which he claimed "transforms Romania into a veritable colony of this empire", and resigned his seat following its adoption in 1875. However, his reputation rests on the fact that he was the founder of geology in Romania. The work with which he introduced this discipline to his country was the 1862 study ''Calcariul dela Răpidea'' ("The Limestone at Repedea"). Because he also described paleofauna and paleoflora therein, he is also viewed as the father of Romanian paleontology.Grigore Cobălcescu
at the

Alexandru Ioan Cuza University The Alexandru Ioan Cuza University (; acronym: UAIC) is a public university located in , Romania. Founded by an 1860 decree of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, under whom the former was converted to a university, the University of , as it was named ...

site His most important works, however, are considered to be ''Studii geologice și paleontologice asupra unor tărâmuri terțiare din unele părți ale României'' ("Geological and Paleontological Studies of Certain Tertiary Formations in Some Parts of Romania") and ''Despre originea și modul de zăcere a petrolului în general și în particular în Carpați'' ("On the Origin and Mode of Storage of Petroleum in General and in Particular in the

Carpathians The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians () are a range of mountains forming an arc across Central Europe and Southeast Europe. Roughly long, it is the third-longest European mountain range after the Urals at and the Scandinavian Mountains ...

"). The first, published at Iași in 1883, introduced the modern study of the

Neogene The Neogene ( ,) is a geologic period and system that spans 20.45 million years from the end of the Paleogene Period million years ago ( Mya) to the beginning of the present Quaternary Period million years ago. It is the second period of th ...

to Romania; first described the bivalve genus ''Psilodon'', later called ''Prosodacna'' by Tournouer; and made observations regarding the presence and distribution of hydrocarbons. The second, published at the

Romanian Academy The Romanian Academy ( ) is a cultural forum founded in Bucharest, Romania, in 1866. It covers the scientific, artistic and literary domains. The academy has 181 active members who are elected for life. According to its bylaws, the academy's ma ...

in 1887, synthesizes research on petroleum geology as well as introducing original concepts, the result of personal research and an application of extant data on the situation in Romania. He was the first to theorize that petroleum existed in the Wallachian Platform and theorized a connection between petroleum deposits and

halite Halite ( ), commonly known as rock salt, is a type of salt, the mineral (natural) form of sodium chloride ( Na Cl). Halite forms isometric crystals. The mineral is typically colorless or white, but may also be light blue, dark blue, purple, pi ...

deposits in

molasse __NOTOC__ In geology, "molasse" () are sandstones, shales and conglomerates that form as terrestrial or shallow marine deposits in front of rising mountain chains. The molasse deposits accumulate in a foreland basin, especially on top of flys ...

. Before the Sarmatian stage of the

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...

was proposed, Cobălcescu, drawing on the fossils at Repedea and the type of water in which they formed, suggested several subdivisions of this stage (Volhynian, upper and lower Bessarabian) and argued that the Moldavian Platform evolved as a

carbonate platform A carbonate platform is a Sedimentary rock, sedimentary body which possesses topographic relief, and is composed of Autochthon (geology), autochthonic calcareous deposits. Platform growth is mediated by Sessility (zoology), sessile organisms whose ...

, a view still accepted by some researchers. He laid the basis for the scientific museums in the geography and geology faculty, first by setting aside rooms for his personal collections, and then by purchasing some 10,000 rocks and fossils from a German firm, for use in teaching and research. He was elected a titular member of the Romanian Academy in 1886. He died in his laboratory at night while preparing his course for the following day.Macarovici, p.17 Bucuresti, Romania, Muzeul National de Geologie (Savantul Grigore Cobalcescu); B-II-m-B-18984.JPG, Portrait on display in

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...

Cobalcescu62.jpg, 1962 postage stamp

Notes

References

*Nicolae Macarovici, "Grigore Cobălcescu", in ''Natura: Seria geografie-geologie'', vol. 19, p. 14-17, Societatea de Științe Geografice din Republica Socialistă România, 1967 {{DEFAULTSORT:Cobalcescu, Grigore 1831 births 1892 deaths Scientists from Iași University of Paris alumni Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași alumni Academic staff of Alexandru Ioan Cuza University Romanian university and college faculty deans Members of the Senate of Romania Scientists from the Principality of Moldavia Romanian schoolteachers Romanian geologists Romanian paleontologists Titular members of the Romanian Academy Expatriates in France

See also

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References