Newsletter for Thursday 24 September.

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TODAY IN SCIENCE HISTORY

NEWSLETTER • 24 SEPTEMBER

Feature for Today

On 24 Sep 1501, Girolamo Cardano was born, an Italian physician, mathematician, and astrologer who was the first to give a clinical description of typhus fever. His book, Ars magna (“Great Art,” 1545) was one of the great achievements in the history of algebra. His mechanical inventions included a combination lock, a compass gimbal and a universal joint.

A book-length biography was written by Henry Morley, who also contributed a magazine article on the life of Girolamo Cardano to The Gentleman's Magazine in the same year (1854). His article is a verbose exposition of the personal life of Cardarno, titled Jerome Cardan.

Book of the Day

On 24 Sep 1898, Howard Florey was born, who developed the wonder drug penicillin after Fleming's discovery. Today's book pick is: , by The title comes from Florey's wartime plan to smuggle spores on his coat if escape was necessary after an invasion. A fascinating story of quirky individuals, conflicts, missed opportunities, medical prejudice, brilliant science, shoestring research and wartime pressures. Due recognition for Florey's vital contribution to inventing an industrial scale manufacturing process for pencicillin is given in this book.

It is available from Amazon, typically about (As of earlier time of writing - subject to change.)

Quotations for Today

	Every creature has its own food, and an appropriate alchemist with the task of dividing it ... The alchemist takes the food and changes it into a tincture which he sends through the body to become blood and flesh. This alchemist dwells in the stomach where he cooks and works. The man eats a piece of meat, in which is both bad and good. When the meat reaches the stomach, there is the alchemist who divides it. What does not belong to health he casts away to a special place, and sends the good wherever it is needed. That is the Creator's decree... That is the virtue and power of the alchemist in man. — Philippus Aureolus Paracelsus, German-Swiss physician and alchemist (died 24 Sep 1541).
	To produce any given motion, to spin a certain weight of cotton, or weave any quantity of linen, there is required steam; to produce the steam, fuel; and thus the price of fuel regulates effectively the cost of mechanical power. Abundance and cheapness of fuel are hence main ingredients in industrial success. It is for this reason that in England the active manufacturing districts mark, almost with geological accuracy, the limits of the coal fields. — Robert John Kane, Irish chemist (born 24 Sep 1809).
	It is the technologist who is transforming at least the outward trappings of modern civilization and no hard and fast line can or should be drawn between those who apply science, and in the process make discoveries, and those who pursue what is sometimes called basic science. — Sir Howard Walter Florey, Australian-English pathologist (born 24 Sep 1898).

Quiz

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
	Pol Swings, born 24 Sep 1906, was a Belgian astrophysicist who made spectroscopic studies to identify elements and structure of stars and comets. He discovered the first interstellar molecule, a radical (1937). What two elements were in the radical he discovered in 1937?
	Georges Claude, born 24 Sep 1870, was a French engineer, chemist, and inventor of a still-used form of light, which he first publicly displayed on 11 Dec 1910 in Paris. What was the form of light he invented?
Deaths
	A German physicist (1882-1945) introduced the first successful detector of individual alpha particles and other ionizing radiations. This scientist later investigated cosmic rays, artificial radioactivity, and nuclear fission. Can you name this scientist?
Events
	On 24 Sep of a certain year, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Enterprise, in Newport, Virginia. Powered by eight nuclear reactors, it does not need to carry its own fuel oil and so has more room for aviation fuel and weapons. In which decade did this occur?
	On 24 Sep 1852, a new invention, the dirigible - a semi-rigid airship - was demonstrated in a flight from Paris to Trappe. Henri Giffard (1825-82) designed in the gondola of a 147-foot-long spindle shaped coal-gas balloon. An 11 ft propeller produced a speed of 5 mph on a 3 hour trip. This was the first powered and controlled flight ever achieved. What form of power turned the propeller?

Answers

When you have your answers ready to all the questions above, you'll find all the information to check them, and more, on the September 24 web page of Today in Science History. Or, try this link first for just the brief answers.

Fast answers for the previous newsletter for September 23: spark plug and magneto • Armand-Hippolyte-Louis Fizeau • Sigmund Freud • Neptune, by calculation derived from the disturbance it caused in the orbit of Uranus, but it was Johann Galle who first observed it, though guided by Le Verrier's work • decade containing the year 1846 • BBC.

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