My late husband, Niall Logan, professor of bacterial systematics at Glasgow Caledonian University, would have been astonished that his lifelong field of academic study, taxonomy, in his case the genus Bacillus, would merit an entire article in the Guardian (‘I love midges because I know what their hearts look like’’: is the passion for taxonomy in danger of dying out?, 2 March). It is certainly not sexy science, and chasing funding for research projects was always tiresome.
However, how about mentioning some of the spinoffs of his research, which many would have thought dry in the extreme? He spent time in the Antarctic researching Bacillus species found in geothermal soils, his expertise was sought when old tannery sites were to be redeveloped to exclude presence of anthrax, and the food industry needed his expertise when investigating food spoilage. His knowledge was valued and his guest lectures were welcomed worldwide.
Taxonomy has been made immeasurably easier with the advent of computers, but they cannot be a substitute for the legwork of finding the samples in the first place, neither can they predict the usefulness of having a database of species in the wider world. I hope that there are many taxonomists of the future among the current cohort of science graduates, Niall’s enthusiasm for his subject certainly excited the interest of some of his students.
Jane Logan
Balmore, East Dunbartonshire
