First of two parts
The term Minakatella longifolia G. Lister may be known to few beyond the scientific fraternity, but behind the story of this slime mold — and of how specimens of it came to be at the Natural History Museum in London — is one of the most fascinating men in Japan's modern era. This week and next, I will be recounting the life story of the scientist after whom Minakatella was named: Kumagusu Minakata.
An exhibition of Minakata's legacy in science and art, titled "Kumagusu's Forests," is currently showing until Feb. 3 at the Watari Museum of Contemporary Art in Aoyama, Tokyo, where it offers a fascinating window on the life and times of this flamboyant Japanese genius.