Newsletter for Sunday 16 March

TODAY IN SCIENCE HISTORY NEWSLETTER - 16 MARCH

Feature for Today

On 16 Mar 1836, Andrew S. Hallidie was born, who created the cable car system in San Francisco that is still much-loved by tourists. In its day, it solved the practical problem of transport up the steep roads of the city, on which even horses had difficulty. For insight into his life leading up to his invention of the cable car system read this short chapter from Heroes of California: The Story of The Founders of the Golden State (1910) on The Practical Hero Of Invention, Andrew Smith Hallidie.

Book of the Day

On 16 Mar 1750, Caroline Herschel was born, sister of the famous astronomer Sir William Herschel, who both assisted his research and was a significant astronomer in her own right. Today's Science Store pick is Searching the Stars: The Story of Caroline Herschel, by Marilyn B. Ogilvie, who investigates this extraordinary life, the determination, humility, and passion that marks her as a remarkable woman, despite the hardships experienced by a woman pursuing a male profession. New: $27.95. Save 24% Price $21.24. Available Used from $12.10 (as of time of writing). Yesterday's pick: Cholera, Chloroform and the Science of Medicine: A Life of John Snow, by Peter Vinten-Johansen, et. al, For picks from earlier newsletters, see the Today in Science Science Store home page.

Quotations for Today
	"I do not believe that the present flowering of science is due in the least to a real appreciation of the beauty and intellectual discipline of the subject. It is due simply to the fact that power, wealth and prestige can only be obtained by the correct application of science." - Sir Derek H.R. Barton, English chemist (died 16 Mar 1998)
	"Whenever I meet in Laplace with the words 'Thus it plainly appears', I am sure that hours and perhaps days, of hard study will alone enable me to discover how it plainly appears." - Nathaniel Bowditch, American mathematician and astronomer (died 16 Mar 1838)
	"My dear nephew was only in his sixth year when I came to be detached from the family circle. But this did not hinder John and I from remaining the most affectionate friends, and many a half or whole holiday he was allowed to spend with me, was dedicated to making experiments in chemistry, where generally all boxes, tops of tea-canisters, pepper-boxes, teacups, &c., served for the necessary vessels, and the sand-tub furnished the matter to be analysed. I only had to take care to exclude water, which would have produced havoc on my carpet." - Caroline Herschel, German-English astronomer (born 16 Mar 1750)

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
	A German physicist, born 16 Mar 1789, showed by experiment (1825) that there are no "perfect" electrical conductors. All conductors have some resistance. He stated, "If the given temperature remains constant, the current flowing through certain conductors is proportional to the potential difference (voltage) across it." Can you name this scientist?
Deaths
	Sir John Murray (1841-1914) was a Scottish naturalist who studied ocean basins, deep-sea deposits, and coral-reef formation. As a marine scientist, he was first to observe the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the existence of marine trenches. What name did he coin for the marine science of which he was one of the founders?
Events
	On 16 Mar of a certain year, the first US liquid-fuel rocket flight was launched by Robert Goddard in a field in Auburn, Mass. He thought stable flight could be obtained by mounting the rocket ahead of the fuel tank. The tank was shielded from the flame by a metal cone and was pulled behind the rocket by the lines for gasoline fuel and oxygen. It reached 41-ft, and travelled 184 feet away in 2.5 seconds. In what decade was Goddard's first liquid-fuel rocket flight made?
	On 16 Mar 1867, a physician published an article in the Lancet on his discovery of antiseptic surgery, the first of a series of such articles that he wrote. Can you name this surgeon?
	On 16 Mar 1819, the first clinical description of an allergy was delivered by Dr John Bostock to a meeting of the Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society in London. The pollens of grasses, weeds and trees are the main causes of this type of allergy. What allergy was this?

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 March 16 web page of Today in Science History. Or, try this link first for just the brief answers. Fast answers for the previous newsletter for March 15: bone marrow; cholera; Arthur Holly Compton; the London sewer system; the decade including the year 1892.

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