Notebook

Humans

From the May 4, 1935, issue

New National Academy of Sciences president, discovery of element 93 confirmed, and brains studies involving a monkey swinging on a trapeze.

Archaeology

Cuneiform Tablets

This Web exhibit from the Library of Congress displays 38 ancient clay tablets and other artifacts that feature the ancient form of writing known as cuneiform. The items include various accounting records (receipts and bills of sale) and school exercises. Go to: http://international.loc.gov/intldl/cuneihtml/

Humans

From the April 27, 1935, issue

An artificial lightning bolt, predicting life spans, and a new, nonmagnetic ship.

Humans

From the April 20, 1935, issue

Workings of human body portrayed in new exhibit, tapping brain waves to study epilepsy, and the discovery of a new amino acid.

Physics

Einstein at Home

The Einstein@Home program offers participants a chance to use idle time on their computers to search for spinning pulsars in data collected by gravitational-wave detectors in the United States and Europe. This Web site describes the program and lets you sign up your computer for cutting-edge astrophysics research. Go to: http://einstein.phys.uwm.edu/

Humans

From the April 13, 1935, issue

A giant meteorite discovered in Kansas, gasoline made from coal in Germany, and elastic rock layers deep in the earth.

Math

Paper Enigma

The enigma machine was used by Germany during World War II to encrypt and decrypt messages. Created by Mike Koss, the plans and detailed instructions offered on these Web pages allow you to build your own fully functioning, paper version of this infamous machine. Go to: http://mckoss.com/Crypto/Enigma.htm

Humans

From the April 6, 1935, issue

Early cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., nebulae as remnants of exploded stars, and 6,000-year-old leftovers.

Humans

From the March 30, 1935, issue

Dust storms over Washington, D.C., 300 successive generations of fruit flies, and the world's oldest cemetery.