TODAY IN SCIENCE HISTORY
NEWSLETTER • 4 MAY
On 4 May 1825, Thomas Henry Huxley was born, an English biologist that was the leading naturalist in the nineteenth century, with a scything intellect. He gave scintillating lectures, wrote books that remain interesting reading today and whose name is still recognized from the many quotes he provided in them.
He penned a short Autobiography, only a few pages long, that was first published in a series of biographical sketches by C. Engel in 1890. Clearly, that took quite some prodding by Engel, for Huxley wrote to his wife about it: “A man who is bringing out a series of portraits of celebrities, with a sketch of their career attached, has bothered me out of my life for something to go with my portrait, and to escape the abominable bad taste of some of the notices, I have done that.” (2 Mar 1889).
Thus, it was by choice that he left no more substantial autobiography.
Yet the Autobiography he wrote for Engel makes delightful reading, because it is mostly a breezily written series of short reminiscences of his early life, as a schoolboy and as a ship's surgeon. He spends but little time on the career for which he is most known. As an “in his own words” article, this is one of the most enjoyable your newsletter editor has had the pleasure to bring to your attention.
This version of the Autobiography has footnotes added (by an editor for a 1909 collection of Huxley's essays), so there is additional enlightening information.
On 4 May 1825, Thomas Henry Huxley was born, an English biologist who was the best-known supporter of Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution. Today's book pick is: Thomas Henry Huxley: The Evolution of a Scientist, by Sherrie L. Lyons. In this eminently readable book, the author shows Huxley nevertheless had a critical view on Darwinian science as being too simplistic. Yet that led to a strengthening of evolutionary theory. A self-appointed defender of truth, Huxley developed his own research program, examining philosophy prior to Darwin in an effort to fill the holes in evolutionary theory.
The author also looks at Huxley’s conversion from salutation to gradualism, and his views on progression and the fossil record. This fascinating and important biography goes much further than the terse summaries which are all most non-specialists have read. Lyons presents a multifaceted portrait of Huxley, and why he was a leading Victorian naturalist.
It is available from Amazon, typically about New from $74.70. Used from $8.98. (As of earlier time of writing - subject to change.)
 | We may always depend on it that algebra, which cannot be translated into good English and sound common sense, is bad algebra. — William Kingdon Clifford, English mathematician and philosopher (born 4 May 1845).  |
| | Any one who is practically acquainted with scientific work is aware that those who refuse to go beyond fact, rarely get as far as fact. — Thomas Henry Huxley, English biologist (born 4 May 1825). |
 | The usefulness of mathematics in furthering the sciences is commonly acknowledged: but outside the ranks of the experts there is little inquiry into its nature and purpose as a deliberate human activity. Doubtless this is due to the inevitable drawback that mathematical study is saturated with technicalities from beginning to end. — Herbert Westren Turnbull, English mathematician (died 4 May 1961). |
| Before you look at today's web page, see if you can answer some of these questions about the events that happened on this day. Some of the names are very familiar. Others will likely stump you. Tickle your curiosity with these questions, then check your answers on today's web page. | |
| Births | |
 | On 4 May 1899, Fritz von Opel was born, who became a German automotive industrialist. Yet he had an interest in another, more novel, form of transport propulsion. What was the novel transport propulsion that Opel pursued? |
| | On 4 May 1825, Thomas Henry Huxley was born, an English biologist who was the best-known supporter of Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution. In 1860, he debated a Bishop on the subject, at the British Association for the Advancement of Science. Challenged by the Bishop as to whether he traced his ancestry to the apes, Huxley famously gave the withering reply that given the choice of a miserable ape and a man who could make such a remark at a serious scientific gathering, he would select the ape. What is the name of the Bishop who challenged Huxley about his ancestry? |
| Deaths | |
 | An Englishman (1827-1900), who was often called the “father of British archaeology,” stressed the need for total excavation of sites, thorough stratigraphic observation and recording,. What is the name of this archaeologist? |
 | William Froude (1810-79) was an English engineer began by working for the British railway system as a civil engineer, but a few years later began a career as a naval engineer. He was a laboratory scientist whose work was of great value to the British navy. What problem did he address, and what technique did he use? |
| Events | |
 | In 1973, this U.S. building topped out at 1,454-ft tall. In fact it is 1,707-ft tall if its twin antennas are included, making it taller than the Empire State Building in New York. What name was given this skyscraper at the time it was built? And in which city? |
 | In 1886, three patents were issued to Chichester Bell and Charles S. Tainter concerning their invention. Thomas Edison’s invention preceded theirs, but the newly patented invention used an approach that made a more practical design that replaced Edison’s, and was used for many years. What was the invention patented by Bell and Tainter? |
 | Since 1780, when this U.S. society was chartered, to the present day, it has had many famous people as its members. Since its early days when its membership included the likes of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, numerous notable scientists have been enrolled. To say that the society is known by its initials AAAS will make it an easier question to answer. Can you give the full name of this society? |
Fast answers for the previous newsletter for May 3: he formulated the electroweak theory, which explains the unity of electromagnetism with the weak nuclear force • that electrons exhibit the wave-like property of diffraction • war • Rocky Mountain spotted fever • heart transplant.
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