July/august 2026: Science History From 50, 100 And 150 Years Ago

1976

Natural Fission Reactor

“In an open-pit uranium excavation successful nan southeastern portion of nan Gabon Republic, adjacent nan Equator connected nan seashore of West Africa, are nan dormant remains of a earthy fission reactor. Within a rich | vein of uranium ore nan earthy reactor erstwhile ‘went critical,’ consumed a information of its substance and past unopen down, each successful Precambrian times.

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“The history of nan earthy reactor is an bonzer series of seemingly improbable events. First, uranium from an full watershed accumulated successful concentrated section deposits, including 1 astatine a spot now called Oklo. Then nan conditions basal to prolong nan fission concatenation guidance were established. After nan reactor had unopen down, nan grounds of its activity was preserved virtually undisturbed done nan succeeding ages of geological activity. Finally, nan find of nan reactor progressive an investigative circuit de unit worthy of nan champion sleuths successful detective fiction.”

Geometry of Soap Bubbles

“Soap bubbles and soap films evoke a typical fascination. Their shifting iridescence, their consequence to a puff of air, their fragility—all lend to their charm. More captivating still is nan exquisite perfection of their geometry, nan absolute smoothness of their forms. What are nan principles that alteration soap bubbles and soap films to beryllium successful definite geometric configurations and not successful others? What are nan imaginable shapes they tin assume?

“Recently we person been capable to show that 3 basal rules governing nan geometry of soap bubbles and soap films are a mathematical consequence of a elemental area-minimizing principle.”

1926

How to Get Along pinch People

“This is nan property of diplomacy. The polished beard has been supplanted by nan polished word. The terrifying growls of anger person yielded spot to nan soothing words of tact. A observant study of nan qualities of nan alleged successful man will uncover successful 9 cases retired of 10 that his occurrence depends not connected nan heavy and profound thing which puzzles nan brains of nan mean man, but connected nan elemental and much superficial thing which pleases nan knowing of nan communal folk. It is that congenial thing which I person defined arsenic ‘social intelligence,’ aliases nan expertise to get on pinch people; while nan profound something, I specify arsenic ‘abstract intelligence,’ aliases nan expertise to woody pinch ideas.”

Our Point of View

“‘Garabed’ is simply a caller connection which bids adjacent to participate nan language. A meaning of it mightiness beryllium ‘scientific hokum successful support of which governmental unit is brought to bear.’ Garabed is nan sanction Garabed T. K. Giragossian gives to his alleged ‘free power generator’ aliases illimitable root of power. Eight years agone he succeeded successful having Congress walk a measurement agreeing to springiness him bonzer privileges if he could beryllium his claims. For Congress to lend an receptor to Giragossian’s awesome strategy establishes a vulnerable precedent. It opens nan doorway to immoderate charlatan who seeks to disregard nan orderly process of government.”

1876

Caution astir Coca Leaf

“Sir Robert Christison showed recently, earlier nan Edinburgh Botanical Society, that diverseness of sentiment existed successful respect to nan effects of coca upon those who chew it; for, while astir of them considered that it possessed awesome powers of sustaining spot nether prolonged fatigue without food, immoderate thought its usage pernicious and dangerous, others, not only innocuous, but beneficial to health.

“Sir Robert gave an relationship of immoderate experiments made upon immoderate of his students and himself, successful which he had recovered that it was some a preventive of fatigue and a restorative of spot aft terrible bodily exertion, and that it had nary reactionary effect upon nan system. In respect to nan usage of coca arsenic a medicine, he advised nary 1 to effort it until thing much was known astir it, or, astatine least, not make usage of it without consulting a physician.”