Science History - Daily This Day in History

On May 31st in science history, one significant event occurred in 1911 when German physicist Walther Nernst introduced the third law of thermodynamics at the first Solvay Conference in Brussels, Belgium.

The third law of thermodynamics, also known as Nernst's heat theorem, states that the entropy of a perfect crystal at absolute zero is exactly equal to zero. In other words, as a system approaches absolute zero temperature (0 Kelvin or -273.15°C), its entropy, which is a measure of disorder, decreases and eventually reaches a minimum value. This minimum value is zero for a perfect crystal, in which all the atoms are arranged in a perfectly ordered lattice.

Nernst's formulation of the third law had profound implications for understanding the behavior of matter at extremely low temperatures and provided a foundation for the field of cryogenics. It also helped to establish the concept of absolute zero as the lowest possible temperature that can be achieved, a limit that is now known to be unreachable due to the laws of quantum mechanics.

The introduction of the third law of thermodynamics at the Solvay Conference was a landmark moment in the history of physics. The conference, which was the first in a series of meetings that brought together the world's leading physicists, was organized to discuss the emerging field of quantum mechanics and its implications for our understanding of the universe. Nernst's contribution to this discussion helped to establish thermodynamics as a fundamental pillar of modern physics and cemented his place as one of the great scientific minds of the early 20th century.

On May 30th in science history, one significant event took place in 1975. On this day, the European Space Agency (ESA) was officially established through the merger of the European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO) and the European Space Research Organisation (ESRO).

The creation of the ESA marked a major milestone in European space exploration and cooperation. The agency was formed with the goal of coordinating and facilitating space research, technology, and exploration among its member states. By pooling their resources and expertise, the ESA aimed to develop a robust and competitive space program that could rival those of the United States and the Soviet Union.

Since its founding, the ESA has been involved in numerous groundbreaking space missions and scientific endeavors. Some of their notable achievements include:

1. The Giotto mission (1985), which studied Halley's Comet up close.
2. The Hipparcos mission (1989), which accurately measured the positions and distances of over 100,000 stars.
3. The Huygens probe (2005), which landed on Saturn's moon Titan, providing the first images from its surface.
4. The Rosetta mission (2014), which successfully orbited and landed on a comet, offering unprecedented insights into these celestial bodies.

Today, the ESA continues to push the boundaries of space exploration, with ongoing missions like ExoMars, which seeks to uncover signs of past life on Mars, and future projects like the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE), set to study Jupiter and its moons in great detail.

The establishment of the European Space Agency on May 30, 1975, represents a significant step forward in international cooperation and scientific advancement, paving the way for Europe's prominent role in unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos.

On May 29th, 1919, a significant event took place that would forever change our understanding of the universe - the solar eclipse that provided the first experimental evidence for Albert Einstein's groundbreaking Theory of General Relativity.

Einstein had published his theory in 1915, proposing that gravity was not just a force, but a curvature of space-time caused by the presence of mass and energy. One of the key predictions of this theory was that light from distant stars would be deflected by the sun's gravitational field, an effect that could only be observed during a total solar eclipse.

Enter Sir Arthur Eddington, a British astronomer who set out to test Einstein's theory during the eclipse of May 29th, 1919. Eddington led two expeditions - one to Sobral, Brazil, and the other to the island of Príncipe off the coast of West Africa - to capture images of the eclipse and measure the positions of stars near the sun.

The results were astounding. The stars appeared to have shifted from their usual positions by the exact amount predicted by Einstein's theory. The news of this confirmation made headlines around the world, propelling Einstein to international fame and cementing his status as one of the greatest scientific minds in history.

The eclipse of 1919 not only validated Einstein's revolutionary ideas, but it also marked a turning point in our cosmic perspective. It showed that the universe was far more complex and mysterious than we had ever imagined, governed by forces that could warp the very fabric of space and time.

Today, on the anniversary of this groundbreaking discovery, we celebrate the power of scientific inquiry to illuminate the hidden workings of the cosmos and the brilliant minds, like Einstein and Eddington, who dared to challenge our preconceived notions of reality.

On May 28th in Science History, a significant event occurred in 1959 when the United States successfully launched two monkeys, Able and Baker, into space aboard a Jupiter missile. This mission, known as Able-Baker or AM-18, marked the first time that living creatures were sent into space and successfully returned alive.

Able, a rhesus monkey, and Baker, a squirrel monkey, were trained to perform tasks during the flight. They were fitted with sensors to monitor their vital signs and overall well-being throughout the mission. The monkeys were launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and reached an altitude of about 360 miles (580 kilometers) during their 16-minute suborbital flight.

After reaching the peak of their trajectory, the nose cone containing Able and Baker separated from the rocket and began its descent back to Earth. The capsule splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean about 1,700 miles (2,700 kilometers) southeast of Cape Canaveral and was successfully retrieved by the U.S.S. Kiowa.

Upon examination, both monkeys were found to be in good health, although Able died a few days later during a surgical procedure to remove an infected electrode. Baker, however, lived until 1984, spending her post-mission years at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

The success of the Able-Baker mission paved the way for future animal flights and provided valuable data on the effects of spaceflight on living organisms. This information was crucial in preparing for human spaceflight missions, such as Project Mercury, which would send the first American astronauts into space just two years later in 1961.

The Able-Baker mission remains a significant milestone in the history of space exploration and a testament to the bravery and sacrifices made by these early space pioneers, both human and animal alike.

On May 27th in Science History, a significant event took place in 1937 when the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California, was officially opened to pedestrian traffic. This iconic structure, known for its stunning orange color and Art Deco design, is a marvel of modern engineering and has become a symbol of the city.

The construction of the Golden Gate Bridge began on January 5, 1933, under the supervision of chief engineer Joseph Strauss. At the time, it was the longest and tallest suspension bridge in the world, with a main span of 4,200 feet (1,280 meters) and towers rising 746 feet (227 meters) above the water. The bridge's construction faced numerous challenges, including strong tides, frequent fog, and high winds.

One of the most innovative aspects of the bridge's construction was the safety net that was installed beneath the bridge deck. This net, which cost $130,000 (equivalent to about $2.5 million today), saved the lives of 19 workers who fell during construction. These workers became known as the "Halfway to Hell Club."

The Golden Gate Bridge's opening ceremony on May 27, 1937, was a grand affair, with approximately 200,000 people walking across the bridge. The next day, the bridge was opened to vehicular traffic. Since then, the bridge has withstood the test of time and has been continuously maintained and upgraded to ensure its structural integrity.

Today, the Golden Gate Bridge remains an engineering icon and a testament to human ingenuity and perseverance. It has inspired countless works of art, literature, and music, and continues to attract millions of visitors each year who come to admire its beauty and learn about its fascinating history.

On May 26th in Science History, a remarkable event took place in 1951 that revolutionized the field of biology and our understanding of life itself. This was the day when James Watson and Francis Crick, two young scientists at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge, England, submitted a groundbreaking paper to the journal Nature titled "Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid."

In this paper, Watson and Crick proposed a novel double helix structure for DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), the genetic material that carries the instructions for life in all living organisms. Their model consisted of two strands of DNA, each composed of a sequence of four chemical bases (adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine), wound around each other in a spiral staircase-like fashion.

The significance of this discovery cannot be overstated. It provided a physical explanation for how genetic information is stored, replicated, and passed on from one generation to the next. The specific pairing of the bases (A with T, and G with C) suggested a mechanism for the precise copying of genetic material during cell division, ensuring the accurate transmission of hereditary traits.

Watson and Crick's work was built upon the crucial contributions of other scientists, notably Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins, who had obtained high-quality X-ray crystallography images of DNA. Franklin's photograph, known as "Photo 51," provided essential evidence for the helical nature of DNA.

The discovery of the double helix structure of DNA marked a turning point in the history of science and paved the way for the rapid advancement of molecular biology and genetics. It laid the foundation for our modern understanding of the genetic code, gene expression, and the molecular basis of inheritance.

In recognition of their groundbreaking work, James Watson, Francis Crick, and Maurice Wilkins were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962. Sadly, Rosalind Franklin had passed away in 1958 and could not be honored with the prize.

May 26th, 1951, will forever be remembered as the day when the secret of life was unveiled, opening up a new era of scientific exploration and transforming our perception of the living world.