Colonial Science and Exploration

French scientists used empire as laboratory. The Mission Scientifique du Cap Horn (1882-1883) studied magnetism, meteorology, and anthropology. The Croisière Jaune automobile expedition crossed Asia. These missions combined scientific research with imperial propaganda.

Tropical medicine advanced through colonial necessity. Alphonse Laveran discovered malaria's parasite while serving in Algeria, earning the 1907 Nobel Prize. His work enabled colonial expansion into previously uninhabitable regions. Science served empire while empire enabled science.

Anthropology emerged studying colonized peoples. The Musée d'Ethnographie du Trocadéro, opened in 1882, displayed artifacts and sometimes people from French colonies. Physical anthropology's racist measurements justified colonial hierarchies. Cultural anthropology's salvage ethnography recorded disappearing traditions—often destroyed by colonialism itself.

Women anthropologists found opportunities in fieldwork rejected by men. Clémence Royer, Darwin's French translator, studied prehistoric archaeology. Jeanne Leuba researched New Caledonian societies. Their work, dismissed as amateur, often showed greater cultural sensitivity than male colleagues' studies.

Geographic exploration continued attracting adventurers. Prince Henri d'Orléans explored from Siberia to Africa. The Marquise de Mores attempted establishing American-style ranching in North Dakota before dying in North Africa. These aristocratic explorers mixed science with sport, discovery with conquest.