50 Years Ago

Science Past from the issue of April 22, 1961

RUSSIAN FIRST MAN IN SPACE — The Russians put the first man in orbit and returned him safely. A Soviet Air Force major, father of two, has circled the earth in 89.1 minutes, and come back, the official Russian news agency Tass reported. The height of the orbit varied from 110 to 188 miles. Maj. […]

Science Past from the issue of April 8, 1961

REMAKE VENUS ‘WEATHER’ — Man can land on the mystery planet Venus after making its air suitable for humans. This job could be done by dropping primitive plants into the planet’s atmosphere, then waiting for results. The primitive algae would remove the carbon dioxide believed to poison the air on Venus for humans. The result […]

Science Past from the issue of March 25, 1961

CUT-OFF LIVER KEPT ALIVE — Three surgeons have completely isolated the liver from dogs, and with heart-lung machines have kept the animals and their livers alive for as long as eight hours. They were able to replant the livers in place, rejoin the numerous blood vessel connections and restore the animals to health.… The purpose […]

Science Past from the issue of March 11, 1961

CHICKS LIKE BRIGHT COLORS —Chickens tend to like bright colors and dislike dull or drab colors and black, a poultry scientist said. However, chickens, like people, are individuals and also show individual preferences for different colors, Dr. George D. Quigley of the University of Maryland, College Park, Md., told Science Service . For in-stance, yellow […]

Science Past from the issue of February 25, 1961

TRAFFIC CONGESTION SEEN AS FUTURE SPACE PROBLEM— Traffic congestion may be one of the most serious problems man may have to face when he starts commuting regularly from earth to outer space. This new frontier gradually is becoming cluttered with earth-launched orbiting vehicles and other debris.… [A]stronomical observatories, weather, TV and other communication satellites as […]

Science Past for February 11, 1961

RELIEVE ARTHRITIC JOINTS — Chronically inflamed arthritic joints can be relieved, but not cured, by injecting cortisone-related steroids, or hormone drugs, directly into the joint. Repeated injections, up to 142 times in one case, had no apparently harmful effect, three doctors report in the Bulletin of Rheumatic Diseases, Jan., 1961. Some 4,000 patients at the […]

Science Past from the issue of January 28, 1961

SEE ATOMIC WASTE USE IN SALT WATER CONVERSION — Radioactive waste products from atomic plants may soon be a source of energy for converting salt water to fresh water. This use could help solve the problem of disposing of highly radioactive material, and also help combat the growing water shortage in the United States…. The […]

Science Past from issue of January 14, 1961

MAN-MADE DIAMONDS ONE-CARAT SIZE PRODUCED — Large, man-made diamonds, more than a carat in size, have been produced for the first time. The diamonds are dark in color and cannot now be used for industrial purposes because of structural imperfections. They were made at the General Electric Research Laboratory, Schenectady, N. Y., where the first […]

Science Past from the issue of December 31, 1960

“TAKING IT EASY” IS BAD FOR BUSINESS EXECUTIVES — Physicians should not always tell worried, nervous business executives to “take it easy,” [said] Dr. Gerald Gordon…. If the emotions were not released, they would be turned inward and result in “suicide through stress diseases like heart disorders,” [he] said…. The basic emotions of pain, hunger, […]

Science Past from the issue of December 17, 1960

HEAVY SHIELD UNNECESSARY — Heavy shielding as protection for an astronaut against space radiations may not be necessary, at least for trips of less than 50 hours and at distances not greater than 618 miles from earth…. [B]iological specimens were encased in different types of metal to test their effectiveness as shielding materials. Some specimens […]

Science Past from the Dember 3, 1960 issue

ASTHMA CLUE FROM HORSES — Research into the deaths of thoroughbred horses, especially foals, has produced an entirely new approach to the treatment of asthma, hay fever and skin troubles in human beings…. During the course of the investigation on horses, a substance was found in certain white cells in the horses’ blood that played […]

Science Past from the issue of November 19, 1960

MERCURY CAPSULE FAILS — Failure of the test shot of the Mercury space capsule and its pilot escape system will not “necessarily” delay putting a man in space, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration reported. NASA has scheduled a manned rocket launch for 1961. The Mercury spacecraft, designed to take an astronaut safely into outer […]