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The Invisibles of Science and the Paleontological Heritage: the Brazilian Study Case

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Abstract

Paleontology, as a science of discoveries, mainly prioritizes those that describe new fossils, in general, as the work of individuals disconnected from the social and economic reality in which they are inserted. The discovery of the new transfers one into the possibility of social recognition and therefore into the record of the individual’s proper memory. However, the paleontological research has a complexity that transcends the intellectual work restricted to the office or laboratory, involving chance, manual work, the capacity for critical discernment, and the actions of several individuals who work in the regions where fossils are found. In this way, the concept of the Invisibles of Science emerges: they are indigenous, enslaved, riverside populations, workers operating in mines and quarries, the population of the villages where fossils are found, field or laboratory assistants who have volunteered or contractually contributed to the assistance of scientists. For paleontological studies, this kind of collaboration is fundamental to the discovery of new fossils, the optimization of field and lab work and the advancement of knowledge of the science of fossils, contributing to the geoheritage preservation. This study carries out a critical reflection on the importance of the Invisibles of Paleontology, analyzing the relationship between the enrichment of science collections, the preservation of heritage and the need for a new relationship with those who support scientific development in Brazil. The aim is to contribute to a historical understanding of the relevance of local populations in the protection of the Brazilian paleontological heritage and a need to revise the legislation, avoiding the criminalization of scientific activity.

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Acknowledgements

In the 200th anniversary of Brazil’s Independence (1822–2022). We thank all the workers and the population of the areas of fossiliferous occurrences that collaborated with the construction of the Brazilian paleontological knowledge. To the freedman Henrique, who guided Peter Lund through the backwoods of Brazil and Estulano, who, thanks to his practical knowledge, coordinated many of the excavations in Lagoa Santa (Minas Gerais State, Brazil).

To the citizens of Sousa (Paraíba State) such as farmer Espedito, Robson Araújo Marques, José Nilton de S. Cavalcante, Francisco Wellington de S. Cavalcante, Luiz Carlos da Silva Gomes, Neuricélia Teodoro Lima Moreira, Julieta Gadelha, Fernando Péricles de Araújo, Maria Auxiliadora Figueiredo, Tibério Felismino de Araújo, and Pedro Alexandre Alves Neto, who contributed to the popularization of knowledge and expanded the possibilities of new discoveries of ichnofossils in the Sousa Basin. Also noteworthy is the technical support of surveyors Sebastião Duarte Vieira and Pedro L. Lucena, who made it possible to map the areas with records of dinosaur tracks and footprints. To Claude Luiz A. Santos, Maria de Fátima C.F. Santos, Maria Dolores Wanderley, and Lenice do Vale, who contributed to the prospection, collection, and preservation of the first discoveries of fossil footprints in the Sousa Basin. Thank you to the successive mayors of Sousa—Gilberto de Sá Sarmento (1972–1976), Clarence Pires de Sá (1977), Sinval Gonçalves (1978–1982), Nicodemos de Paiva Gadelha (1983–1988), and Salomão Benevides Gadelha (2002–2008)—all in their respective times; José Nilton Fernandes, mayor of São João do Rio do Peixe (1983–1989); Geraldo Nogueira de Almeida, mayor of Uiraúna (1983–1988); and their administrations and collaborators helped very much with logistical support. Many thanks also to José Queiroga de Mello, Secretary of Works in Sousa. Still in Sousa, the drivers, Miguel Barros, Francisco Estrela Gomes, José Nobre de Araújo, and Bezaleel de Souza deserve thanks. To Deverson Silva (Pepi), Ariel Milani Martine, Franco Capone, José Henrique Gonçalves de Melo, Gilberto Raiz, and Guilherme Gehr for providing data and illustrations on the fossils from Sousa basin.

To the workers of the quarries of Nova Olinda, in the Araripe Basin, Adalberto Raimundo da Silva, Adriano dos Santos, Aílton Antônio, Alcides Cardoso da Silva, Antônio Edvaldo, Antônio Ferreira, Antônio Fortunato de Souza, Antônio Gilvan Silva, Antônio Lourenço, Antônio Marcos, Antônio Osías Costa Lima, Antônio Paulo Nogueira, Antônio Pereira Silva Filho, Arlindo Cardoso, Cícero Alves, Cícero Amorim Souza, Cícero Evandro Soares da Silva, Cícero John, Cícero Luís Nogueira, Cícero Paulo, Cícero Pereira, Cícero Salviano, Cláudio Pereira da Silva, Danilo Pereira, Delando Pereira da Silva, Edimar Alencar, Edimar da Silva, Edinar da Silva, Epifânio Pereira, Edivaldo Hermínio de Souza, Edval Hermínio de Souza, Edvaldo Bandeira da Silveira, Eldo da Silva, Elias Dantas, Eliezê Dantas, Elton de Souza, Elúsio Dantas da Silva, Epifânio Barbosa, Erandy Simão Oliveira Júnior, Erismar Gomes de Matos, Expedito Silvestre Matos, Francisco Alves Batista, Francisco Cenildo, Francisco Domingos de Moura, Francisco Edvan Bezerra da Silva, Francisco Francinildo, Francisco Gomes de Souza, Francisco Ismael Silva, Francisco Pereira Barbosa, Francisco R. G. de Souza, Francisco Rodrigo Ribeiro, Francisco Simão de Oliveira, Francisco Sebastião Gonçalves de Lima, Francisvaldo Ferreira Neves, Francinaldo Souza Oliveira, Fred da Silva Alves, Gilmar, Gilson Alves da Silva, Iranildo Pereira de Souza, Isélio de Oliveira, Jarbel Ferreira Moura, João Paulo da Silva, João Soares, Jonas Pereira Leandro, José Alexandrino, José Eido, José Givaldo da Silva, José Júnior da Silva Alves, José Lima, José Luís Nogueira, José Marcelino Neves dos Santos, José Roberto Raimundo Nonato da Silva, José Soares da Silva, Leônidas Macedo, Lorinaldo Cazuza da Silva, Marcelo Pereira da Silva, Napoleão Maia de Souza Neto, Pedro Miguel da Silva, Reginaldo Souza Oliveira, Ubiratan Moreira de Souza, Wallace Oliveira, and William Gouveia, Wilson, who are robbed of their right to recognize the important contribution they make to Brazilian Paleontology and the training of new researchers. To Neri Feitosa (Jamacaru county) and Plácido Cidade Nuvens, who recognized the importance of the quarry workers of Nova Olinda and honored the Brazilian Paleontology with dignity, recognizing that knowledge is the agent of social transformation that is necessary in Brazil.

For the team of excavations of the Llewellyn Ivor Price Paleontological Research Center, located in Peirópolis (State of Minas Gerais), who worked in the collection and preparation of fossils in Uberaba and Triângulo Mineiro in the last 50 years. Alberto Lopa, Langerton Neves da Cunha, Saulo Messias da Silva, Vanderlon Messias da Silva, João Ismael da Silva, Fabiano Isa de Morais, Vanderlei Messias da Silva, Evaldo Messias da Silva, Saulo Messias da Silva Neto, Carlos Humberto da Silva, Luiz Humberto da Silva, Omilton Ribela, José Eduardo da Silva Santos, Reinaldo da Silva Santos, Batista da Silva Sobrinho. Marcelo Nicolau, Rodrigo Humberto da Silva, Marcio Humberto da Silva. Amauri da Silva, Tony Fernandes Santana. Luiz Carlos Borges Ribeiro for his determination to transform Peirópolis into a tourist hub and international recognition for its fossils and its Geodiversity.

To the workers of the quarries of Mossoró, in the Potiguar Basin, who carried out the arduous work of selecting the fossils of Tylostoma sp., and that allowed the preservation of this material in the scientific collections of Brazil. Vingt-un Rosado Maia for his visionary action in the preservation of fossils previously used in the production of lime.

To the Oswaldo Grosso family and their sons, mainly José Francisco Grosso, owners of the quarries in the region of Araraquara, and to the workers who worked in them, who helped in the discovery of the main records of the Cretaceous biota of the paleodesert of Botucatu. To Walter Ilha and Daniel Cargnin that preserved the Triassic fossils of Rio Grande do Sul State in an integrated way to community interests.

To the drivers of Rio de Janeiro Federal University, Damião Batista dos Santos, Ednaldo Vital dos Santos, Eduardo dos Santos Carvalho, Jorge Luiz Ignacio, José Neri (Zinho), Manoel José Coelho da Costa, Sidnei da Conceição Belarmino, and Wanderlei Andrade de Sousa, for their helpful support in the field work.

To Antônio Carlos Sequeira Fernandes, Douglas Riff, Fábio Reis, Ildeu de Castro Moreira, Isabela Degani-Schmidt, Francisco Idalécio de Freitas, Hermínio Ismael de Araújo Jr., José Artur Gomes de Andrade, Luiz Carlos Borges Ribeiro, Maria Eugênia de Carvalho Marchesini Santos, Margot Guerra-Sommer for the important information about the invisible history of Brazilian Paleontology. To Andrea Balduíno, Andrea Jakobsson, Castor Cartelle Guerra, Diana Ramos, Lorelai Kury, Marize Malta, and Silvia Fernanda de Mendonça Figueirôa, National Library, and D. João VI Museum for the cession of historical illustrations.

Funding

This study was supported by Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Proc. E-26/200.828/2021, Brazil) and by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científco e Tecnológico (CNPq 303596/2016–3, Brazil), as well as many of the field, laboratory and office activities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Geologia, Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária - Ilha Do Fundão, CCMN/IGEO 21.949-900, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Ismar de Souza Carvalho & Giuseppe Leonardi

  2. Centro de Geociências, Universidade de Coimbra, Rua Sílvio Lima, 3030-790, Coimbra, Portugal

    Ismar de Souza Carvalho

  3. Istituto Cavanis, Dorsoduro, 898, 30123, Venice, Italy

    Giuseppe Leonardi

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  1. Ismar de Souza Carvalho
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  2. Giuseppe Leonardi
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Correspondence to Ismar de Souza Carvalho.

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Carvalho, I.d., Leonardi, G. The Invisibles of Science and the Paleontological Heritage: the Brazilian Study Case. Geoheritage 14, 107 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-022-00737-1

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