It is in the atmosphere of [the First World War] that
I have approached a conception of nature, at that
time forgotten and thus new for myself and for
others, a geochemical and biogeochemical
conception embracing both nonliving and living
nature from the same point of view.
—Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky, 1863–1945, Russian mineralogist
    From American Scientist 33 (1945)

An organic solvent extract of a bituminous oil
shale showed a magnificent red color and the
characteristic absorption spectrum of the metal
complexes of pyrrole pigments…. The apparent
preservation of complicated pigment materials
through geological eras raises hopes that the same
may also be true of other types of molecules.
—Alfred Treibs, 1899–1983, German chemist
    From Angewandte Chemie 49 (1936)