[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

Napoleon and the Scientific Expedition to Egypt | Linda Hall Library

One of Napoleon's leading scientists, Gaspard Monge Gaspard Monge , became obsessed with mirages in the desert which set him a bit adrift from his duties as he spent seasons trying to write a seminal article on the causes of this natural phenomenon.

If he had seen a holly tree in one of these mirages, that probably would have been his last entry in his notebooks as these only grow in Southern Africa, Europe, North America and other temperate and sub-tropical areas.

Napoleon Bonaparte's scientists were busy cataloging the flora and fauna of Egypt during his expedition and probably would have covered these from the alpha to the omega.