180 Years of Scientific American Means 180-Degree Turns in Science—Here Are Some of the Wildest Ones

American scientist Famous 180 years old with stories of scientific half-tours

By Rachel Feltman, Jeffery Delviscio & Alex Sugiura

Rachel Feltman: Happy Monday, listeners! For The science of scientific Americans quicklyI am Rachel Feltman.

Today, we are doing something a little different from our summary of usual weekly news. American scientist He is 180 years old this year, and we recently celebrated with a collection of features printed roughly in history where science has apparently made a complete pivot – a turn to 180 degrees, if you want. We thought it would be fun to take you on tour of a few strengths of this package.

First of all, we have a story of the freelance journalist Health and Life Sciences Diana Kwon on nervous regeneration. During millennia, doctors and scientists considered that any damage to the nerve cells which transports signals throughout the body should be irreversible. Although many cases of nerve lesions are, in fact, difficult to treat, scientists have achieved in the last two centuries that the nerves can and regenerate.

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Throughout this evolution in our understanding of the nerves, it was still largely believed that the neurons of the central nervous system, composed of the brain and spinal cord, were unable to cure. Now we know that even these most precious neurons can regenerate in the right conditions.

While research continues exactly which mechanisms encourage (or block) neuronal regeneration throughout the body, scientists are also engaged in another debate: if the human brain is capable of producing new neurons throughout adulthood. The phenomenon of adult neurogenesis would have been unfathomable a few decades ago, but an increasing number of evidence now supports it. Just imagine what secrets we will have discovered on the nervous system in 180 years.

In another example of a scientific turnaround, American scientist The editor -in -chief of the main features, Jen Schwartz, reminds readers that plastic was, ironically, invented as a lasting alternative to another material: ivory. In fact, in 1864 American scientist The news published in a competition from the Billiard-Table Company Phelan & Collender in search of an alternative for the defenses of disappearing elephants, which, at the time, were used to make pool balls. The company offered $ 10,000 as a reward for this feat of science of materials.

An Albany printer, New York, named John Wesley Hyatt, proposed Celluloid in response, although he has chosen to patent the invention for itself rather than accepting the price. His celluloid billiards were called “the founding object of the plastic industry”. Unfortunately, like Jen’s article to Sciam Explains, while the ivory request in the billiard industry fell with the introduction of Celluloid, the elephants were still targeted for their defenses for other products. And as we know now, plastic invention has radically changed our way of producing and consuming goods – and not always for the best.

In another 180 scientist, detailed by the editor as an editor in American contribution Sarah Scoles, we learn how the search for extraterrestrial life was periodically turned. (So ​​maybe several 180s?)

At the end of the 19th century, an Italian astronomer observed brands of Groovelike on Mars, which convinced an American astronomer that the red planet welcomed a whole civilization. In 1906, this second astronomer, Percival Lowell, wrote a book posing that the Martians had pruned a sophisticated network of aqueous canals. Even when a more in -depth look at Mars in 1909 revealed that these channel type brands had in fact been an optical illusion, Lowell’s theories persisted. In 1916 American scientist Management publisher wrote in New York Times Letters to the editor -in -chief that he always believed that Mars had a sophisticated life and an irrigation system to prove it. Of course, when the Mariner 4 spacecraft gave us our first view of the overview of March in 1965, we saw our planetary neighbor for the sorry world.

Although we are probably not yet 180 on the existence of an intelligent life in our solar system as soon as possible, scientists have recently become aware of the abundance of potential possibilities for microbial Life in our cosmic backyard and beyond. We may not look at Mars in the hope of seeing extraterrestrials moving through the gondola, but in some respects, the hunt for extraterrestrial life is more optimistic than ever.

These are just some of the 180-degree pivots that you can learn in the last issue of American scientific. Consult our 180th anniversary number on newspaper kiosks or go to Scienticamerican.com for more fascinating stories of scientific ruptures. We will also have additional birthday treats online in the coming weeks, so stay attentive.

If you want to help us celebrate our birthday, join our #SciaMinthewild photo challenge by September 5. Just take a photo of everything American scientist Print the problem in a parameter that reflects or completes the theme of the coverage. Then share it on social networks using #Scicinthewild. Make sure to tagger Scientific American, And include your name and location. Or if you prefer to stay outside the social networks, send your photo by email to competition@sciam.com. You could earn an unlimited one year subscription, as well as a pack of impressive gadgets and equipment. The terms and conditions apply. You can find the official rules on SCIAM.com/180contest.

That’s it for today’s episode. We will be back Wednesday to explore one of the most intriguing mysteries of the deep sea: the phenomenon known as “dark oxygen”. And Friday, we are thinking about another major historical step: the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Our usual news of new scientists will be back next week.

Science quickly is produced by me, Rachel Feltman, with Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper and Jeff Delviscio. This episode was published by Alex Sugiura. Shayna has and Aaron Shattuck checks our show. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Subscribe to American scientist For new scientists up to date and in -depth.

For Scientific American, Here is Rachel Feltman. Spend a good week!

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