TODAY IN SCIENCE HISTORY
NEWSLETTER • 22 AUGUST
On 22 Aug 1868, Willis R. Whitney was born, an American chemist who founded the General Electric Company’s research laboratory. As research director there, he stimulated pioneering work. Whitney is known as the “father of basic research in industry” because it became a model for industrial scientific laboratories elsewhere in the U.S.
In 1921, The Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry published Whitney’s thoughts about The Biggest Things in Chemistry. Having just received the Perkin Medal, Whitney began by acknowledging the research work of the great English research chemist, Sir William Perkin, and reflects on comparisons between the educational path each of them had taken.
In the remainder of this interesting piece, Whitney reviews what he regarded as the Biggest Things in Chemistry for his era. Reading this, one can see where the range of fields in chemistry stood then, and contemplate how it stands now, about a century later. Well worth the time to read.
On 22 Aug 1974, Jacob Bronowski died. He was a Polish-British mathematician and science writer who eloquently presented the case for the humanistic aspects of science as the writer and presenter of the BBC television series, The Ascent of Man. Today's book pick is: The Ascent of Man, by Jacob Bronowski. Although many years have passed since those excellent broadcasts, this companion book will make fulfilling reading whether you saw the series back then, or are reading his thoughtful work for the first time.
Bronowksi’s classic traces the development of human society through our understanding of science. As one of the first works of “popular science,” readers will find it illuminates the historical and social context of scientific development in a highly accessible style, Dr. Bronowski discusses human invention from the flint tool to geometry, agriculture to genetics, and from alchemy to the theory of relativity, showing how they all are expressions of our ability to understand and control nature.
This fascinating work should be on everyone’s bookshelf. It is certainly on the Webmaster’s shelves, and whenever dipped into, it is rewarding - still fresh, and thought stimulating.
It is available from Amazon, typically about New from $65.32. Used from $1.95. (As of earlier time of writing - subject to change.)
 | First get a clear notion of what you desire to accomplish and then in all probability you will succeed in doing it. — Henry Maudslay, British engineer and inventor (born 22 Aug 1771).  |
 | Science is a great many things, … but in the end they all return to this: Science is the acceptance of what works and the rejection of what does not. That needs more courage than we might think. — Jacob Bronowski, Polish-British mathematician and science writer (died 22 Aug 1974). |
 | To say that, a scientific man puts forth a theory and, supports it and adheres to it, not because he thinks it true, but because he wishes it to be true, is the same thing as saying that he is not a seeker after truth at all, and is therefore a traitor to his profession. — Sir Oliver Joseph Lodge, English physicist (died 22 Aug 1940). |
| 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 | |
 | Denton Cooley (left), Denis Papin, Paul Gottlieb Nipkow and were each born on 22 Aug, though in different years. Not in the same order, they were notable for: inventing the television scanning principle; inventing the pressure cooker; being the first to implant an artificial heart in a human. Can you match each scientist to his claim to fame? |
| Deaths | |
| | Sir Oliver Lodge (1851-1940) was a British physicist who perfected the “coherer.” What was the function of the “coherer”? |
 | Franz Joseph Gall was a German anatomist and physiologist who originated phrenology What is phrenology? |
| Events | |
 | On 22 Aug 1989, a new feature of the planet Neptune was discovered. What was this feature? |
 | On 22 Aug 1962, The Savannah completed her maiden voyage from Yorktown, Va., to Savannah, Ga. What was the source of power for this ship, a world's first? |
 | On 22 Aug 1787, inventor John Fitch demonstrated his steamboat on the Delaware River to delegates of the Continental Congress. What was its top speed in mph? |
Fast answers for the previous newsletter for August 21: Gerhardt = classification of organic compounds; Murdock = first to make extensive use of coal gas for illumination; Stas = determinations of atomic weights • morphed from the word googol for the huge number given by a 1 followed by 100 zeros • heat, energy transformations • astronomy, his limit refers to the mass of a white dwarf star • carbon dioxide • Neptune.
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