When the botanist Nathanael Pringsheim discovered sexual reproduction in algae in the 19th century, it marked a turning point in the history of biology. What had once seemed among the simplest and most “innocent” of organisms suddenly revealed a profound truth: sexuality is not the privilege of higher life forms, but a universal principle underlying all living matter. With the aid of the microscope — which underwent significant improvements at the time — Pringsheim opened a window onto a hidden world and fundamentally transformed the scientific understanding of life’s generative processes. His discovery challenged traditional notions of reproduction and hierarchy in nature and foreshadowed the birth of modern biology.
In this lecture, Andreas Deutsch presents his new book, dedicated to the Jewish scientist Nathanael Pringsheim and his groundbreaking research. The book explores not only Pringsheim’s scientific achievements but also his intellectual courage and the cultural context of his time — an era in which science itself was undergoing a revolution of perception.