| MARCH 2 - BIRTHS | |
| Georgii Nikolaevich Flerov | |
(source) |
 Born 2
Mar 1913; died 19 Nov 1990.
Russian scientist who, in 1941, recognized that uranium undergoes spontaneous fission (needing no neutron bombardment). He was one of the early Russian investigators of nuclear fission. In early 1942 , Flerov noticed that articles on nuclear fission were no longer appearing in western journals. Recognizing the implication that such research had become secret, he wrote to Premier Joseph Stalin, insisting that "we must build the uranium bomb without delay," (subsequently led by Igor V. Kurchatov.) In later research, Flerov announced synthesis of isotopes of element 104 (1965) and 106 (1974). Co-discoveries were made in the U.S. Several names were suggested. Eventually the adopted names were rutherfordium and seaborgium.«  On
the way to superelements (Scientists to school-children),
by G. N Flerov. |
| Edward U. Condon | |
(source) |
Born 2
Mar 1902; died 26 Mar 1974.
Edward U(hler) Condon was an American physicist remembered for the Franck-Condon principle (1928), development of radar and contributing to the design of magnetic separation equipment subsequently applied to process uranium for atomic bombs. The Franck-Condon principle (1928) is a quantum-mechanical treatment of the earlier statement by James Franck (1925) that in any molecular system the transition from one energy state to another occurs so near to instantaneously that the nuclei of the atoms involved are stationary. During the Manhattan project, he assisted J. Robert Oppenheimer assemble the team of scientist that created the first atomic bombs at Los Alamos, N.M. He led a scientific study of UFO's, which found no credible evidence.« Selected
popular writings of E.U. Condon, by Edward Uhler Condon. |
| Harry E. Soref | |
(source) |
Born 2
Mar 1887; died 1 Mar 1957.
Locksmith, inventor of the laminated steel padlock, and founder of Master Lock Company (1921). As a locksmith, Soref had realized that the cheaper padlocks, made with stamped metal sheels, were poor security because they were easily damaged. He patented (1924) his invention of a laminated padlock which, like bank vault doors and battleships, was built in laminations of layer on layer of steel for greater strength. Unable to sell his invention to a padlock manufacturer, he began making them himself. Master Lock opened its first tiny factory in Milwaukee, Wisc. In 1928 Master Lock gained national recognition for shipping 147,600 padlocks to federal prohibition agents in New York for locking up the speakeasies they raided.«  |
|
Today in Science History Science Store Browse a selection of Bargain Science and Nature Books |
| MARCH 2 - DEATHS | |
| J. Carson Mark | |
(source) |
 Died
2 Mar 1997 (born 6 Jul 1913)
Canadian-American scientist who, as head of the theoretical division at the Los Alamos (N.M.) Scientific Laboratory, was involved in the development of various weapons systems, including thermonuclear bombs. He began at Los Alamos in 1945 as a collaborator on the Manhattan Project. He joined the staff in 1946 and became leader of T Division the following year until his retirement in 1973. He had a broad range of research interests, including hydrodynamics, neutron physics and transport theory. By the 1960s, much of the weapons work had been relocated and the T division diversified into working with outside agencies and private industry. After his retirement, he was active in issues related to disarmament and nonproliferation.« |
| Edward Griffith Begle | |
(source) |
Died
2 Mar 1978 (born 27 Nov 1914)
American mathematician, a topologist, who led development of "new math." When the Soviet Union launched the Sputnik satellite (1957), beating the U.S. into space, the effectiveness of science and mathematics education in American schools came under scrutiny. Begle's idea was to replace the traditional focus on mathematics as memorization and algorithmic computation. Instead, he designed a program to emphasise the fundamental importance of understanding the principles of mathematics. He directed (1958-72) the School Mathematics Study Group, funded by the National Science Foundation. SMSG produced teaching materials for all grade levels with this approach. Ultimately, initiating lasting reform through teachers was unsuccessful.«  |
| Howard Carter | |
(source) |
Died
2 Mar 1939 (born 9 May 1873)
British archaeologist who made one of the richest and most celebrated contributions to Egyptology: the discovery (27 Nov 1922) of the largely intact tomb of King Tutankhamen. In 1891, at age 17, with a talent for drawing and an interest in Egyptian antiquities, he was hired by the Egypt Exploration Fund in London to help with the epigraphic recording of tombs in Middle Egypt. At the beginning of 1900 Howard Carter was appointed Chief Inspector of Antiquities to the Egyptian Government with responsibilities for Upper Egypt. The Earl of Carnarvon, visited Egypt for health reasons in 1905, became interested in Egyptian antiquities and decided to finance some archaeological work. He funded Carter's excavation work beginning in 1909.  "The
Tomb of Tut.Ankh.Amen: Discovered by the Late Earl of Carnarvon and Howard
Carter: The Annexe and Treasury" by Howard Carter |
| August Wilhelm Eichler | |
(source) |
Died
2 Mar 1887 (born 22 Apr 1839)
German botanist whose natural system of plant classification (1886) was one of the first to become widely adopted. He studied the symmetry of the parts of a flower. His system of plant classification was based on earlier work of de Jussieaus and others. Eichler assumed complexity indicated more advanced development. His plant kingdom had four divisions: Thallophyta: algae, fungi; Bryophyta: liverworts, mosses; Pteridophyta: club mosses, horsetails, ferns; Spermatophyta: seed plants (angiosperms: flowering plants and gymnosperms: pines, spruces, and firs). Eichler wrote a syllabus of pharmaceutical botany and made significant collection on the flora of Brazil.« |
| Neil Arnott | |
| Died
2 Mar 1874; (born 15 May 1788)
Scottish physcian and scientist who invented a water-bed for the comfort of patients during a prolonged illness. He is also known for his invention of the economical Arnott stove, which he called a thermometer-stove with a self-regulating fire.« |
|
| Wilhelm Olbers | |
(source) |
Died
2 Mar 1840 (born 11 Oct 1758)
(Heinrich) Wilhelm (Matthäus) Olbers was a German astronomer and physician, born in Arbergen, Germany. While practising medicine at Bremen, he calculated the orbit of the comet of 1779, discovered the minor planets (asteroids) Pallas (1802) and Vesta (1807), and discovered five comets (all but one already observed at Paris). He also invented a method for calculating the velocity of falling stars. He is also known for Olber's paradox which asks "why is the night sky dark if there are so many bright stars all around to light it?" [Image: Monument in Bremen, Germany.] |
| MARCH 2 - EVENTS | |
| Pioneer 10 | |
 |
In 1972, U.S. spacecraft Pioneer 10 was launched. It passed close by Jupiter
and Neptune before leaving the solar system. It is now more than six billion
miles from Earth. |
| Concorde | |
(source) |
In 1969, the Concorde SST Supersonic jet aircraft made its maiden flight. |
| Push-button phone | |
|
In 1959, an experimental push-button phone was tested by the Southern New
England Telephone Company (New Haven, Conn.), to see if customers dial
fewer wrong numbers using the new design. |
|
| Automatic street light | |
|
In 1949, the first automatic street light was installed in New Milford,
Conn. |
|
| Non-stop world flight | |
|
In 1949, Captain James Gallagher and his 13-man US Air Force crew
completed the first round-the-world non-stop flight in 94 hours in an American
USAF B-50 Superfortress, the "Lucky Lady II." They landed at Fort
Worth, Texas, after completing the covering 23,452-mis in 94 hrs. The plane
was refueled several times in midflight. |
|
| Patented doll | |
|
In 1928, Mrs R Valentino patented a doll (No. 1,575,263) . |
|
| 3-D colour photos | |
|
In 1908, Gabriel Lippman introduced the new three-dimensional colour photography
at the Academy of Sciences. |
|
| Radioactivity | |
 |
In 1896, Henri Becquerel reported his discovery of the penetrating rays
of a uranium compound to the French Academy of Sciences. The photographic
plate, fogged by these rays, showing the outline of a metal cross lying
between the compound and the plate, is the first recognition of the effects
later known as radioactivity. |
| Needles | |
|
In 1866, Excelsior Needle Company of Wolcottville, Conn., began making
sewing machine needles. |
|
| Track guage | |
|
In 1863, Congress authorized a track width of 4-ft 8-1/2 in. as the standard
for the Union Pacific Railroad, which became the accepted width for most
of the world. |
|
| Metal bale tie | |
|
In 1858, Frederick Cook, New Orleans, patented a metal cotton-bale tie. |
|
| Thames Tunnel | |
(source) |
In 1825, work began on the Thames Tunnel in London, the world's first tunnel
under a navigable river, between Rotherhithe and Wapping. Excavation was
engineered by Marc Brunel, for which he used a tunneling shield to reduce
the danger of collapse while digging through soft sediments. Beginning
his own engineering career, his son Isambad
K. Brunel assisted. Together they persevered through 18 years, dealing
with floods, human disasters, and delays caused by financing difficulties.
It opened for pedestrians on 25 Mar
1843. Planned ramps for use by carts and freight traffic were never added
due to cost. The tunnel re-opened
with a railway line on 7 Dec 1869, and it remains in use as the oldest
part of the London Underground.« [Image:
detail of the first vertical shaft excated for access to Thames Tunnel,
Rotherhithe, showing workers and ladders between floors.] |
| Blanchard's first balloon ascent | |
(source) |
In 1784, Jean Pierre Blanchard made
his first successful ascent on 2 Mar 1784 in a self-built balloon. He had
been inspired by the Montgolfier brothers' demonstrations of hot-air balloon
flying
in Annonay, France. By 7
Jan 1785, he and an American physician, Dr. John Jeffries, made the
first flight over the English Channel, from Dover to Calais.On 9
Jan 1793, Blanchard made the first balloon ascent in North America. |
