50 Years Ago

  1. Agriculture

    50 years ago, screwworm flies inspired a new approach to insect control

    The United States has wiped out screwworm flies repeatedly since 1966 using the sterile male eradication technique.

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  2. Animals

    50 years ago, atomic testing created otter refugees

    Nuclear testing on the island of Amchitka caused hundreds of otters to be rehomed 50 years ago. Those hundreds have grown into thousands.

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  3. Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, the safety of artificial sweeteners was fiercely debated

    Scientists are still learning more about the health effects of chemical sweeteners

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  4. Plants

    50 years ago, a 550-year-old seed sprouted

    Old seeds can sprout new plants even after centuries of dormancy.

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  5. Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, a flu pandemic spurred vaccine research

    A half-century after the Hong Kong flu pandemic, scientists are getting closer to a universal vaccine.

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  6. Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, a pessimistic view for heart transplants

    Surgeon Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful human-to-human heart transplant in 1967. In 1968, he predicted that patients would survive five years at best. Fortunately, he was wrong.

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  7. Earth

    In 1968, scientists tried taming hurricanes

    For over 20 years, the U.S. government tried to subdue hurricanes through cloud seeding, with mixed results.

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  8. Genetics

    50 years ago, scientists took baby steps toward selecting sex

    In 1968, scientists figured out how to determine the sex of rabbit embryos.

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  9. Particle Physics

    50 years ago, neutrinos ghosted scientists

    In the last half-century, neutrino detectors have spotted particles cast out by the sun, supernova 1987A and a supermassive black hole.

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  10. Tech

    50 years ago, a Japanese scientist dreamed up a rocket-propelled train

    50 years ago, a Japanese engineer tried rocket boosters on a train. Today, high-speed trains propelled by superconducting magnets are being tested.

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  11. Astronomy

    In 1968, scientists thought they were close to detecting gravity waves

    Despite an unverified discovery in 1968, spacetime ripples remained elusive for nearly 50 years.

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  12. Tech

    50 years ago, NASA astronauts prepared to return to space

    Apollo 7 crewmembers underwent their first major tests 50 years ago. Today, U.S. astronauts struggle to get into space.

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