January 21, 2025
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February 2025: History of science 50, 100, and 150 years ago
Ali’s story. plants on mars
1975. Daily Micromigration: “Diatoms are Hantia virgata Exists approximately millimeters below the surface of the shoreline sand (left). At low tide during the day, organisms are pushed to the surface by mucus forced through pores at the ends of elongated glassy cell walls (right). The diatoms remain in the sunlight for photosynthesis until just before the sand is flooded by low tide. ”
scientific american Vol. 232, Issue 2, February 1975
1975
A fundamental review of continents and polar regions
“Among the various hypotheses that preceded modern plate tectonics theory, one stands out, proposed by Alfred Wegener in the early 20th century. Wegener had access to only a fraction of the information available today. However, his theory covered many things that are now fundamental, such as the movement of continents and the movement of poles. When his views were actually replaced by the old model (in the 1960s), the change meant a fundamental revision of established doctrine. The theory has been ignored at best and often scorned; proponents of continental drift have been dismissively dismissed as eccentrics at the worst.
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1925
Mars spring plants
“The series of photos of Mars taken by Slifer at Lowell Observatory show in a very beautiful and convincing way how the dark areas grow larger and deeper in color as the polar caps decline and Mars’ spring progresses. The dark spots in the opposite hemisphere can be seen fading away as autumn turns to winter.Sleifer reasoned that the seasonal pattern follows the laws of change expected in vegetation. Actually the plants It’s even harder to tell if it covers much of the Earth’s surface: If the chlorophyll in Martian vegetation is similar to that of plants on Earth, it should strongly reflect deep red light, making it a suitable screen. Dark spots should appear bright when photographed through the lens. Nothing of this kind has been observed. However, this test is not conclusive; many terrestrial plants do not exhibit this characteristic. ”
1875
Great Hudson River Ice Harvest
“The 1875 Hudson River ice harvest was one of the largest and best ever harvested. The blocks averaged 14 inches thick, and the total amount secured was about 200 This huge supply will be consumed primarily in New York City.The ice will be towed by steam directly from large ice houses on the waterfront down the Hudson River. A typical supply for small households is between a quarter ton and half a ton per month, with prices ranging from $15 to $30 per ton.
Nevada streets paved with gold
“Residents of Virginia City, Nevada, boast that the very mud of their streets is rich in silver and gold.The main streets are macadamized with waste ore taken from mines in the early days. Since then, a steady deposit of rich ore, sifted from passing ore trucks, has made its surface extremely valuable and has been analyzed. Turns out it contains ounces of mud. Silver, $2.32. Total: $9.86. company As for that richly paved city, “We may be snobbish, even if our streets are sometimes atrociously muddy, for in the mud of our boots there is both silver and gold.” This is because it contains
Virginia City was a booming mining town in the mid-1870s, and its population peaked at about 25,000 people. According to the U.S. Census, the population in 2020 was 787 people.
Do ants talk?
“Ants have great communication skills. Information about common dangers can probably be shared with one or two people. As news brought by human spies, it spreads rapidly throughout the colony, which numbered in the thousands. Their method of communication is shrouded in mystery, with the most likely hypothesis being that it is a type of fence equipped with antennas. However, according to Professor Landwa’s report to the Prussian Rhineland Natural History Society, ants are It is said to be equipped with a sound apparatus similar to the bigeye. Although its pitch is generally inaudible to the human ear, its range may be sufficient for a fully developed language. , a device that makes inaudible sounds audible. Then an enterprising student might teach us the comparative grammar of formal idioms.”
Scientists have long shown that ants communicate using chemicals called pheromones. Pheromones especially help ants march in single file in long lines. However, in recent decades it has been discovered that certain genera of ants make noise, and that even some ant pupae can communicate using sound.
