The Phinean Society

michael how says that with hindsight it's blindingly clear how crucial this year was for his development as a scientist. At 18 years old he made his first presentation of his own discoveries which he did at the Phinean society in London. He also met and became friends with Robert Grant who was a zoologist and an expert on sponges  that being the sea animal rather than the thing you wash your dishes with. His family thought he was wasting his time they thought he was already aimless and not doing anything particularly important.