June 2024: Science History from 50, 100 and 150 Years Ago

June 2024: Science Record from 50, 100 and 150 Several years Back

Strolling barefoot on scorching stones what helps make bluebirds blue

1974, Spiral Reaction: “Spirals of chemical exercise kind in a shallow dish of purple reagent. A blue ring was induced by touching the area of the solution with a hot filament, then the dish was rocked to crack the ring. The free of charge finishes of the fragmented round wave just about every curl all around a pivot point, winding up into spirals.” Photographs have been taken over eight minutes.

Scientific American, Vol. 230, No. 6 June 1974

1974

Pleistocene People Located in Ukraine

“The systematic study of Pleistocene human beings was to start with focused in France. Still the first occupation internet sites to be uncovered in central and jap Europe, a lot of of them spectacularly prosperous, were unearthed almost as very long in the past. The information and facts they include is crucial to being familiar with how early humans survived and possibly even thrived underneath ice-age situations in Europe, most likely greatest demonstrated by approximately 100 Pleistocene internet sites in and around the Ukraine. The earliest websites are between 80,000 and 75,000 several years aged.”

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1924

Strolling Barefoot on Crimson-Scorching Stones

“In some sections of Asia the priests, in purchase to clearly show their magical powers, stroll on red-incredibly hot stones spread over a intense fireplace, without any safety to their toes. This accomplishment has generally puzzled researchers. A lot of occasions the feet have been carefully examined and have not proven any signals of getting burned. The actual rationalization has only just appear to light-weight. A shallow pit is dug and in the base is put the wooden. This is overlaid with numerous levels of spherical stones, and the fireplace is lighted. When all the things is apparently at a excellent heat the priest walks across. It has been found that one particular type of stone, basalt, is used. This is of volcanic origin, is very porous and is one of the worst conductors of heat recognized. It is pretty achievable to have a lump of basalt crimson-hot at a single conclude and yet amazing sufficient to maintain in the hand at the other conclude. Therefore the crafty priest appreciates precisely the place to put his ft.”

What Will make Bluebirds Blue?

“The ordinary particular person is apt to imagine that all the colour outcomes witnessed in mother nature are manufactured by specified substances, dyes or the like. This is legitimate to a certain extent, as has been uncovered in flowers. But the feathers of the bluebird, the kingfisher and other birds are colored blue because of to the dispersion of the mild placing moment air cells in the sexy framework of the feathers. So significantly no blue pigment has been extracted from these feathers.”

The Major Map in the Environment

“Showing all organic and person-built functions, the major map in the environment is currently being erected in the Ferry Constructing in San Francisco. The map, about two thirds done, is 600 ft lengthy, a ‘working model’ of the condition of California, produced to scale. All the rivers, bays, lakes and shoreline are modeled on data from the United States Geodetic and Geological surveys and a variety of point out departments. The mountains had been coloured in accordance to study reports, and volcanic craters ended up fashioned. The lowlands were set in, including depths of h2o. Cliffs, marshes and beach locations ended up reproduced in correct shades. Forests of redwood, oak and pine ended up produced from carved fragments of sponges, painted the normal shades. Paved and unpaved roadways, railroads and all the mountain trails had been carved out as trenches, and loaded in with magnesite, white-surfaced for every single mile of the 6,000 of paved highways. No railroad is far too smaller to be shown. Ties and rails ended up laid, tunnels have been slice through the mountain partitions, and trestles and bridges put in. Mine shafts were bored. Steamers and barges are placed on the rivers to show instructions and restrictions of inland water website traffic.”

1874

Statue Wanders Atop the U.S. Capitol

“The iron dome of the Capitol at Washington is 300 ft higher, and is surmounted by a metallic statue. It has a motion ensuing from the unequal expansion of the opposite sides of the dome. The size of the oscillation from the japanese restrict to the western limit is 4 and a 50 percent inches. In the early morning the east aspect of the dome is rapidly heated, though the west aspect is chilled by radiation via the night. As the sun passes to the western facet, this aspect is heated, but due to the fact the east aspect even now retains a excellent portion of its warmth, the expansion is additional just about equalized. [Overall,] the statue inclination to the west is a very little bigger than that towards the east.”