TODAY IN SCIENCE HISTORY
NEWSLETTER • 27 JUNE
On 27 Jun 1829, the British chemist James Smithson died, who bequeathed his inherited fortune, over $500,000 (then) to found the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The funds were deposited with Congress, which initially squandered them on bad investments. (Surprised?) If you did not already know that, learn more in this article on The Smithsonian Institution from Putnam’s Monthly (1854). Notice that this article was written within a very few years after the founding of the Smithsonian Institution in 1846.
After Congress made good on the lost funds, there still followed squabbles by politicians over what to do with the money—many pushing their own pet projects. (Surprised?) The article describes how discussions arrived at a good faith interpretation of Smithson’s intention for the “increase and diffusion of knowledge.”
The uncredited author (the editor, perhaps?) outlines examples of subsequent accomplishments. Perhaps you will find particularly interesting the lengthy footnote about the newly established Smithsonian’s contribution to research on the path of newly discovered planet Neptune.
The writer ends by editorializing. He suggests relocation from the unduly expensive, large building. Then, he makes a plea to fund other worthy goals entirely separately (national library, art gallery, museum) to devote Smithson’s gift in full to his intended purpose for the “increase and diffusion of knowledge.”
On 27 Jun 1885, Pierre Montet was born, who has been called the dean of modern Egyptologists. His notable work includes conducting major excavations at sites in the Nile Delta, discovering, in particular, funerary treasures from the 21st and 22nd dynasties. Today's book pick is: Everyday Life in Egypt in the Days of Ramesses The Great, by Pierre Montet, which is a classic, renowned for its accuracy and scope. His book conveys the richness and complexity of ancient Egyptian everyday life, focussing on the era of the great builders at Karnak and Luxor. With a masterful appreciation of the ancient Egyptian way of life, Montet provides insight into the day to day activities of royalty and priests, artisans and professionals, peasants and slaves. He gives colorful descriptions of dwelling places, seasonal festivities, holiday observances, family life, travel, justice, warfare, and the rites of burial.
This is an excellent, very readable book, based on detailed research, using paintings and carvings together with pictorial and literary sources, including some papyrus documents, as main sources for his well-organized descriptions throughout.
It is available from Amazon, typically about New from $18.95. Used from $5.84. (As of earlier time of writing - subject to change.)
 | As to writing another book on geometry [to replace Euclid] the middle ages would have as soon thought of composing another New Testament. — Augustus De Morgan, English mathematician and logician (born 27 Jun 1806).  |
| | It is easier to square the circle than to get round a mathematician. — Augustus De Morgan, English mathematician and logician (born 27 Jun 1806). |
 | In describing the honourable mission I charged him with, M. Pernety informed me that he made my name known to you. This leads me to confess that I am not as completely unknown to you as you might believe, but that fearing the ridicule attached to a female scientist, I have previously taken the name of M. LeBlanc in communicating to you those notes that, no doubt, do not deserve the indulgence with which you have responded. Explaining her use of a male psuedonym. — Sophie Germain, French mathematician (died 27 Jun 1831). |
| 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 | |
 | Hans Spemann, born 27 Jun 1869, was a German embryologist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine (1935) for his discovery of the effect now known as embryonic induction. What is the result of embryonic induction? |
 | Alexis Bouvard, born 27 Jun 1767, was a French astronomer and director of the Paris Observatory, who is noted for discovering eight comets and writing Tables astronomiques of Jupiter and Saturn (1808) and of Uranus (1821). Bouvard’s tables accurately predicted orbital locations of Jupiter and Saturn, but his tables for Uranus failed. What was the result of finding irregularities in his prediction for the orbit of Uranus? |
| Deaths | |
 | Zheng Zuoxin (1906-1998) was considered the founder of modern Chinese ornithology. He wrote A Synopsis of the Avifauna of China. In a simple word, what were the subjects of his studies? |
| | James Smithson (1765-1829) was an English scientist who provided funds in his will “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge” in the U.S. He had inherited his fortune chiefly through his mother’s family. He was a chemist and minerologist who published 27 scientific papers. For what is this man remembered? |
| Events | |
 | In 1978, Seasat, an experimental U.S. ocean surveillance satellite was launched. In a period of 36 hours was able to monitor nearly 96% of the oceanic surface. The measurement equipment on board was able to penetrate cloud cover and report measurements such as wave height, water temperature, currents, winds, icebergs, and coastal characteristics. How many orbits per day would the satellite make around Earth? |
 | On 27 Jun of a certain year, the world’s first grid-connected atomic power station began producing electricity in Obninsk, U.S.S.R. In what decade was this event? |
 | On 27 Jun 1960, chlorophyll "a" was first synthesized by Robert Burns Woodward. This molecule consists of 55 carbon atoms linked with 72 hydrogen atoms, 5 atoms of oxygen and 1 atom of a metallic element. What is the metallic element in a molecule of chlorophyll? |
Fast answers for the previous newsletter for June 26: from the River Kelvin, near Glasgow, where he spent his life teaching at the university there • Charles Messier • large-scale spinning of high-quality textile thread • smallpox • CN Tower, named after the Canadian National Railway, which built it on the CN rail yard for TV and radio communications • the iron landslide and moldboard were cast in one piece.
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