Science History

Exquisite Machines

The synthesis of non-equilibrium thermodynamics and biology, pursued in fits and starts over the years by an eccentric cast of thinkers, has produced a few scientific red herrings, but the overall idea has expanded our biophysical horizons.  I'll summ ...

Article - Sean Gibbons - Jul 25 2011 - 8:52am

Ignaz Venetz- Climate Change Pioneer- #3

Ignaz Venetz- Climate Change Pioneer- #3 There is no such thing as a perfect translation. En effet, on peut être utile sans atteindre à la perfection; Agenda, ou tableau général des Observations et des Recherches dont les résultats doivent servir de base ...

Article - Patrick Lockerby - Jul 29 2011 - 12:40am

The Posthumous Memoir Of Ignaz Venetz

The Posthumous Memoir of Ignaz Venetz My  three part article on Venetz's prize-winning 1821 paper began with some facts tending to prove that he was the first person to discuss climate change scientifically.  Since beginning my researches concerning ...

Article - Patrick Lockerby - Aug 9 2011 - 10:36am

The Posthumous Memoir Of Ignaz Venetz- #2

The Posthumous Memoir of Ignaz Venetz This memoir was published by the Swiss Natural Sciences Society, shortly after the death of Ignaz Venetz, to honor his great contribution to science. For background information, please see part 1 of this article- The ...

Article - Patrick Lockerby - Aug 9 2011 - 10:54am

The Posthumous Memoir Of Ignaz Venetz #3

The Posthumous Memoir of Ignaz Venetz #3... the voice of a faithful disciple of science is entitled to be heard. My continuing researches on the discovery of climate change show that prior to Ignaz Venetz's 1821 prize-winning paper, the most commonly ...

Article - Patrick Lockerby - Aug 9 2011 - 10:32am

A Frael Of Figs- Or- A Handful Of History

A Frael of Figs  - or- A Handful of History If history consisted only in lists of the dates when "important people" did earth-shattering things such as kicking the bucket from a surfeit of lampreys, then I would agree with Henry Ford that histor ...

Article - Patrick Lockerby - Aug 10 2011 - 2:57pm

Other Suns, Other Colors

Other Suns, Other Colors     It seems to be a law of universal application that if a task is boring and low paid, it should be given to a woman.  Many of the women given such tasks in the past performed them with such skill and dedication that their work ...

Article - Patrick Lockerby - Aug 21 2011 - 9:19pm

What Was The Weather Forecast For The Battle Of Carthage?

Science, history and a little detective work?  Yes, please!   Tony Lupo, professor and department chair of atmospheric sciences at the University of Missouri, and Mike Madden, a meteorology student,  pulled together bits and pieces of global meteorological ...

Article - News Staff - Aug 22 2011 - 1:23pm

Émilie Du Châtelet- An Essay On Heat- 1739- #1

Émilie du Châtelet- An Essay On Heat- 1739- #1 In 1739 the Paris Academy of Sciences proposed a question: what is fire?  A prize was offered for the best response. Entries were to be presented anonymously. The prize was awarded to Euler.  Voltaire, who ha ...

Article - Patrick Lockerby - Aug 22 2011 - 7:01pm

Émilie Du Châtelet- An Essay On Heat- 1739- #2

Émilie Du Châtelet- An Essay On Heat- 1739- #2 This is a plain text transcription of Dissertation sur la nature et la propagation du feu. For introductory comments, please see Émilie du Châtelet- An Essay On Heat- 1739- #1. Transcription of part 1 follows ...

Article - Patrick Lockerby - Aug 23 2011 - 1:53pm