November 18

Philibert Commerson served as the naturalist on Louis Antoine de Bougainville’s global expedition from 1766 to 1769. He meticulously documented flora and fauna in South America, Tahiti, and the Pacific Islands, and was the first to gather specimens of the bougainvillea flower. Commerson’s detailed notes and illustrations enriched European botanical gardens and scientific publications. Plagued by health issues, he remained in Mauritius after the voyage and continued his studies, amassing a vast herbarium. His discoveries advanced the taxonomy of tropical plants and inspired later explorers such as Joseph Banks. Commerson died in 1773, and his contributions endure in botanical nomenclature.

Born in Finland to a Swedish-speaking family, he studied geology at Uppsala University and developed expertise in polar geography. He led several Arctic expeditions in the 1860s and 1870s, mapping previously uncharted coastlines of Greenland and Siberia. In 1878-79, he commanded the steamship Vega on the first complete voyage through the Northeast Passage, a milestone in exploration history. He published extensive scientific accounts of his observations, contributing to geology, oceanography, and meteorology. He later served as director of the Geological Survey of Finland, advancing research and education in earth sciences. His pioneering work expanded the boundaries of exploration and deepened understanding of the Arctic regions.

Born in New Hampshire, Shepard joined the U.S. Navy and became a naval aviator. In 1961, he became the first American to travel into space on the Mercury-Redstone 3 mission. After being grounded by an inner ear disorder, he returned to flight status and commanded Apollo 14 in 1971. He piloted the Lunar Module "Antares" and set foot on the Moon in the Fra Mauro highlands, becoming the fifth person on the lunar surface. Shepard retired from NASA and the Navy in 1974, later serving in business and educational roles. He authored a memoir and received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.