The discovery that cod eggs inhabit the open water column emerged from Georg Ossian Sars’s government-commissioned investigation into Norwegian coastal fisheries in 1864. This finding proved pivotal in the history of marine biology, fundamentally altering the scientific understanding of fish life cycles and directly leading to his work on the artificial fertilization of eggs in 1865.
Early Development and Education
Born in 1837 at Florø, Norway, Sars was the son of Maren and Michael Sars. He attended Bergen Cathedral School starting in 1852, then moved to Christiania Cathedral School in 1854. By 1857, he entered the university at Christiania, currently known as the University of Oslo. While pursuing medical studies, he turned his attention toward natural history, specifically the collection of water fleas in local lakes. His initial scientific publication grew from this work, which utilized research methodologies established by Wilhelm Lilljeborg.
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Sars maintained a long-term professional relationship with the University of Oslo, serving as a fellow in 1870 and holding a professorship in zoology from 1874 until 1918. His career featured diverse responsibilities, including acting as a scientific collector, marine biologist, and university teacher. His investigative work frequently involved maritime expeditions, such as his collaboration with Henrik Mohn aboard the steamship Vøringen from 1876 to 1878. He also examined specimens obtained during the Challenger expedition, and he co-founded the academic journal Archiv for Mathematik og Naturvidenskab in 1876.
Contributions to Carcinology
Systematics of crustaceans represented his primary research focus throughout his professional life. He described numerous species and documented his findings in his magnum opus, An Account of the Crustacea of Norway. His expertise in biology was complemented by his skills as an illustrator, which he used to document zoological subjects. His research in fisheries included studies on herring in 1872 and the establishment of marine fish hatcheries, cementing his status as a pioneer in Norwegian fisheries science.
Awards and Legacy
Sars received extensive recognition for his scientific work, including the Linnean Medal in 1910 and an honorary doctorate from the University of Uppsala. He was a member of numerous international organizations, such as the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences, and the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. He was named a Commander of the Order of St. Olav and was an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He died in 1927 in Oslo and is interred at Vår Frelsers gravlund.
Fast facts
- Born: 1837, Florø, Norway
- Died: 1927, Oslo, Norway
- Primary Occupation: Zoologist and marine biologist
- University of Oslo tenure: 1874-1918
- Major work: An Account of the Crustacea of Norway
- Linnean Medal recipient: 1910
- Burial site: Vår Frelsers gravlund
- Citizenship: Norway
Questions readers ask
What was the significance of Sars's cod research?
He discovered that cod eggs are pelagic, meaning they float in the open water column, and he demonstrated that they could be artificially fertilized.
Did Georg Ossian Sars hold international professional memberships?
Yes, he was a member of many prestigious institutions, including the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Achievements
- Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi
- Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
- Linnean Medal — 1910
- Held posts at University of Oslo
- Educated at University of Oslo
- Fields of research: marine biology and zoology
