Horizon Magazine · Science

Old Sailing Manuals Show How Sailors Built a Global View of Earth

A project analyzing centuries-old sailing records reveals how practical maritime knowledge gradually shaped humanity's understanding of Earth as a single planet.

The RUTTER project examines "rutters" from the Age of Discovery (15th-17th centuries) to understand how voyages shifted views from local to a global Earth concept.

These records, containing practical navigation details, served as a scientific resource, showing the gradual emergence of a connected Earth idea through accumulated observations.

Researchers analyzed hundreds of documents, finding that early rutters evolved into detailed records, enabling comparisons and a growing understanding of global wind, currents, and climate by the late 16th century.

The project compares large collections of rutters and logbooks to trace knowledge circulation between sailors and traditions, fostering international collaboration.

The research highlights navigators' intellectual role and how their knowledge influenced wider society, challenging the idea that progress comes solely from famous explorers.

It emphasizes the crucial role of local knowledge shared by sailors, noting that Europeans often relied on local navigators for successful routes, like the 1565 Pacific crossing.

These records also aid in reconstructing marine biodiversity and climate data, demonstrating that scientific progress often stems from the collective actions of ordinary people.

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