science newsletter: Newsletter for Friday 12 October

Παρασκευή 12 Οκτωβρίου 2012

Newsletter for Friday 12 October

Newsletter - 12 October - Today in Science History

TODAY IN SCIENCE HISTORY
NEWSLETTER - 12 OCTOBER

Feature for Today

On 12 Oct 1936, the success in making of X-ray moving pictures of internal organs of the human body was reported at the annual meeting of the American Roentgen Ray Society.

At the following year's annual meeting of the Society (2 Oct 1937), films of moving X-ray images showing movement of organs of the human body were displayed. Moving X-ray images on a fluorescent screen were captured with a 16-mm home movie camera.

You may have read more about how these films were made in the Feature for Today in this month's Newsletter for 2 October. Here is a second chance to read this excerpt on X-ray Movies, from Time magazine (1936).

Book of the Day

On 12 Oct 1860, Elmer Sperry was born, one of the all time "Great American Inventors." He invented the gyrocompass and other useful inventions for mining and transport. The technologically advanced companies he started include the now famously known Sperry Vickers, Sperry Marine, Remington and Sperry Rand. Today's Science Store pick gives this history in Elmer Sperry: Inventor and Engineer, by Thomas Parke Hughes. Price $37.00 New $30.21. Also available Used from $24.95 (as of time of writing).

Yesterday's pick: Voice of the Universe: Building the Jodrell Bank Telescope. For picks from earlier newsletters, see the Today in Science Science Store home page.

Quotations for Today
	"For it is not cell nuclei, not even individual chromosomes, but certain parts of certain chromosomes from certain cells that must be isolated and collected in enormous quantities for analysis; that would be the precondition for placing the chemist in such a position as would allow him to analyse (the hereditary material) more minutely than (can) the morphologists ... For the morphology of the nucleus has reference at the very least to the gearing of the clock, but at best the chemistry of the nucleus refers only to the metal from which the gears are formed." - Theodor Bovari, (born 12 Oct 1862)
	"It has the property of detonating very violently in certain circumstances. On one occasion a small amount of ether solution of pyroglycerin condensed in a glass bowl. ... When the bowl was heated over a spirit lamp, an extremely violent explosion occurred, which shattered it into small fragments. On another occasion a drop was heated in a test-tube, and exploded with such violence that the glass splinters cut deep into my face and hands, and hurt other people who were standing some distance off in the room." [Describing early experiments on his discovery of the explosive in the quiz question below.] - Ascanio Sobrero, (born 12 Oct 1812)

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
	Elmer Sperry, born 12 Oct 1860, was an American electrical engineer and inventor of the gyrocompass designed expressly for the marine environment. This "spinning wheel" gyro was a significant mprovement over the traditional magnetic compass of the day, and established Sperry as a world leader in the manufacture of military gyrocompasses for the next 80 years. *In what decade was this gyro first tested at sea?*
	Ascanio Sobrero, born 12 Oct 1812, was an Italian chemist who investigated a now well-known explosive compound he discovered. *What explosive did he discover?*
Deaths
	Paul Hermann Müller (1899-1965) was a Swiss chemist who received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1948 for discovering the toxic effects on insects of a subsequently widely used insecticide which was a major factor in increased world food production. What was this insecticide?
Events
	On 12 Oct 1823, a Scotsman began selling rubberized raincoats. What is the name of this inventor?

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 October 12 web page of Today in Science History. Or, try this link first for just the brief answers.

Fast answers for the previous newsletter for October 11: Heinrich Olbers; tungsten; law of conservation of energy (first law of thermodynamics); the decade containing the year 1983; Jodrell Bank.

Feedback