Record: Oct 2023 – Scientific American

Record: Oct 2023 – Scientific American

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1973

Craters on Venus

“Venus is pocked with craters. This actuality emerges from scientific tests in which quick radio waves were mirrored from the stable surface area and ended up analyzed by laptop or computer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It demonstrates an spot 910 miles across close to the equator, where by there are a dozen substantial craters ranging from 21 miles in diameter to 100 miles. Smaller craters may possibly properly be existing but ended up not resolved. All the craters are shallow—a clue to Venus’ heritage. They could be the consequence of meteorite impacts right before the world had an environment. Potentially they were subsequently stuffed with lava from the interior or erosion on the floor.”

Earth: Alien Zoo or Petri Dish?

“The likelihood is large that people are not one particular of the most superior organisms in the universe. There could be civilizations tens of millions of many years in advance of our have. If ‘they’ are out there, why have we not heard from them? John A. Ball, in Icarus: Intercontinental Journal of Photo voltaic Process Scientific studies, implies that extraterrestrial civilizations could communicate with us, but they opt for not to. ‘Occasionally,’ he observes, ‘we established aside wilderness spots, wildlife sanctuaries, or zoos in which other species are permitted to build naturally.’ An extraterrestrial species, he speculates, might take into consideration humans an organism to be preserved in isolation and purity, a element of mother nature to be observed. ‘They have established aside the place in which we dwell as a zoo.’ F.H.C. Crick and L. E. Orgel, also crafting in Icarus, give an different idea: that existence on the earth commenced as a deliberate ‘infection’ of microorganisms positioned right here by another civilization. Such a civilization would have regarded the earth not as a zoo but as a Petri dish.”

1923

Sunburned Eyes

“The large arc lamps made use of in the going-image studio, just like the sun, give out extremely-violet as nicely as noticeable mild. Palms and encounter get swiftly accustomed to this, and immune to more burning. But the eyeball is very sensitive to burning, and it does not obtain immunity. The burning is a variety of conjunctivitis. It is curable, but during the overcome the affected person will have to not be even further uncovered, and the eye is weakened by owning been troubled. This illness appears so freely among the movement-photo actors that a identify, ‘Kleig eyes,’ has been coined for it [after the Kleig light, a carbon arc-lamp]. It appears that the option lies in a movie that would do the job as effectively and as quick in a subdued light-weight as the current films get the job done in the glare.”

Coast to Coastline in 27 Several hours

“Lieutenants John A. Macready and Oakley G. Kelly of the Army Air Provider, leaving Roosevelt Field on Very long Island, achieved Rockwell Field in San Diego right after a nonstop flight of 26 several hours 50 minutes. In accordance to the pilots the regular speed was 93.5 miles for every hour. In the original phases the airplane was drastically overloaded [with fuel], and an altitude of only 1,500 feet could be preserved. From Indianapolis to Tucumcari in New Mexico they flew [in the dark] by compass alone. 1 hundred thousand folks welcomed the pilots at San Diego. The pilots arrived down in perfect problem, even though neither had slept the total journey. They state they would have welcomed signals marking towns and other landmarks, notably by evening.”

1873

Oil by Pipeline

“Transporting oil by pipes has been in exercise in the oil districts of Pennsylvania for several many years. It continues to be to be determined whether the challenge can be carried out on a gigantic scale. With the discoveries in Butler County, Pa., the notion of transporting oil through iron pipes, from Titusville in excess of the Alleghenies to Philadelphia, a length of 260 miles, is now remarkable substantial awareness. It is proposed to lay a solid iron 6-inch pipe, in a bee line, which at just one locality will be 3,000 toes above the sea stage. Some 23,000 barrels may be shipped each individual twenty-4 several hours, at ten cents for every barrel.”

Perpetual Movement For Sale

“J.W.S. writes to say that he has a perpetual movement [machine] in running buy, and he will dispose of it for $2,000,000, but if he has to carry it to Washington, he will request $5,000,000. The existing economic disaster will, we worry, protect against our correspondent from getting both of the sums he mentions.”

Covers of Scientific American from 1973, 1923 and 1873.

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