December 2nd, 2011 | 1
One of the things I love most about archives is the way they allow us to connect directly with the past. When I come across something interesting, I feel as though I’ve discovered a piece of hidden truth or insight that has been left just for me. However, as fortunate as we are to have [...]
Keep reading »Earlier this month, Nature Publishing Group and Scientific American proudly launched the completion of Scientific American‘s archives, dating back to the first issue from August 28, 1845. As America’s longest-running consecutively published magazine, it’s no surprise the content of the publication underwent several changes since its debut. What appeared in 1845 shows a periodical aimed [...]
Keep reading »The Statue of Liberty. She is a symbol of freedom, an icon of New York City, and today is her birthday. In honor to celebrate, I’d like to share some images from an article from the August 14th, 1886 Scientific American that highlighted the methods of assembling Lady Liberty. After all, what’s birth without a [...]
Keep reading »October 14th, 2011 | 1
What better way to get back into the archives than on two wheels? I’ve been inspired by tomorrow’s NYC Tweed Run, an event that celebrates a bygone era of bicycling culture, to present one of my favorite finds from Scientific American’s past: trick riding. Trick riding became widely popular in the late 1880s and 1890s [...]
Keep reading »If you live or work in a city, chances are you’ve ridden public transportation during rush hours. And, if you ride public transportation during rush hours, chances are you’ve found yourself without a seat the entire trip. While overcrowding on subways and buses may seem like a modern day burden, the problem was troublesome enough [...]
Keep reading »No matter how far human society progresses, there will always be criminal acts of violence. While many of the crimes have stayed the same, methods of self-defense looked a little different one hundred and fifty-four years ago. The 1857 issue of Scientific American featured an invention aimed at preventing strangulation, the Anti-Garrote Collar. [...]
Keep reading »July 13th, 2011 | 2
This past Monday, the first doping scandal of the 2011 Tour de France was announced. Russian rider Alexandr Kolobnev tested positive for the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (used to mask other doping agents) and has since voluntarily left the race while his urine is tested for further substances. Professional cyclists have been using performance-enhancing drugs for decades. [...]
Keep reading »July 5th, 2011 | 2
While astrophotography has become more detailed and enriched in the last 50 years with the invention of things like color filters and digital processing, early lunar images offer more beauty and sense of wonder to the viewer. These photographs from the March 19th, 1904, issue of Scientific American conjur feelings of curiosity for a reader, [...]
Keep reading »June 22nd, 2011 | 3
Since its discovery, electricity has helped humans make labor and tools more efficient. From lighting to toothbrushes, electricity has aided us in making our lives simpler and more convenient. However, while searching through the archives, I’ve come across some inventions that have led me to question whether we’ve taken advantage of technology in order to [...]
Keep reading »June 14th, 2011 | 5
New York City is renowned for its great-tasting tap water, which is said to be amongst the purest in the country. However, when viewed under a microscope, the sight tends to disagree with the taste. Less than a year ago, it was reported that when looking at a microscopic droplet of this water, a NYC [...]
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