Monthly Archives: January 2018

Sidney Gilchrist Thomas — February 1 is Emilio Segrè’s birthday. Segré was an Italian physicist who discovered the first artificial element. Segrè was visiting the University of California Berkeley’s radiation laboratory and met with Ernest Lawrence. Lawrence was the man who designed the first cyclotron particle accelerator. Segrè was interested in some of the […]

Today in Science History – February 1 – Emilio Segrè ...

This entry was posted on January 31, 2018 by Todd Helmenstine (updated on May 8, 2022)

Theodore William Richards — January 31 is Theodore William Richards’ birthday. Richards was an American chemist who gave the first chemical evidence of the existence of isotopes. An element is determined by the number of protons in its nucleus. Isotopes of elements are determined by the number of neutrons with the protons in the […]

Today in Science History – January 31 – Theodore Richards ...

This entry was posted on January 30, 2018 by Todd Helmenstine (updated on January 31, 2022)

John Bardeen — January 30 marks the passing of John Bardeen. Bardeen was an American physicist who contributed to the understanding of solid-state physics enough to earn two Nobel Prizes. The first was while he was working at Bell Labs. AT&T needed to upgrade their nationwide telephone system. People were making more and […]

Today in Science History – January 30 – John Bardeen

This entry was posted on January 29, 2018 by Todd Helmenstine (updated on October 25, 2023)

Fritz Haber — January 29 marks the passing of Fritz Haber. Haber was a German chemist who discovered a process to create ammonia from atmospheric gases. The Haber-Bosch process is a reaction that fixes nitrogen to form ammonia (NH3) from nitrogen gas (N2) and hydrogen gas (H2) under pressure over an iron catalyst. […]

Today in Science History – January 29 – Haber Process

This entry was posted on January 28, 2018 by Todd Helmenstine (updated on May 10, 2021)

Kathleen Yardley Lonsdale — January 28 is Kathleen Yardley Lonsdale’s birthday. Lonsdale was an Irish crystallographer who proved benzene was composed of six carbon atoms arranged in a hexagon. Yardley began her career as a mathematics student. It didn’t take her long to feel the lure of experimental physics and she switched her major […]

Today in Science History – January 28 – Kathleen Yardley ...

This entry was posted on January 27, 2018 by Todd Helmenstine (updated on May 10, 2021)

1920s Morton Salt Ad — January 27 marks the passing of David M. Cowie. Cowie was a medical researcher who was instrumental to the addition of iodine in table salt in the United States. Cowie was investigating the high incidents of goiter in the United States Great Lakes, Appalachian mountains and Pacific Northwest areas. Goiter […]

Today in Science History – January 27 – Iodized Salt

This entry was posted on January 26, 2018 by Todd Helmenstine (updated on January 15, 2023)

Trivalent and hexavalent chromium are the two common forms of the element. This is chromium(VI) oxide. (BXXXD) — Hexavalent chromium is a toxic metal you can be exposed to that can cause serious health effects. Here is what hexavalent chromium is, what it does, and how to protect yourself against it. Other Names for Hexavalent Chromium Hexavalent chromium is also known as Cr(VI), Cr-6, chromium-6, Hex Chrom, Hex […]

Hexavalent Chromium – What You Need to Know

This entry was posted on January 26, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on May 10, 2021)

Edward Jenner — January 26 marks the passing of Edward Jenner. Jenner was the English physician who noticed milkmaids who had been infected with cowpox seemed to never contract the more serious disease, smallpox. Smallpox is an infectious and contagious disease that causes a fever and a serious rash. It also kills a […]

Today in Science History – January 26 – Edward Jenner ...

This entry was posted on January 25, 2018 by Todd Helmenstine (updated on May 10, 2021)

Grand Rapids Fluoridation Historic Marker — January 25 marks the anniversary of the first time a United States city began fluoridating their water supply. The US National Institutes of Health began a study to test the relationship of fluoride and tooth decay and public health. They added fluoride to the water supply in Grand Rapids, Michigan […]

Today in Science History – January 25 – Water Fluoridation

This entry was posted on January 24, 2018 by Todd Helmenstine (updated on May 10, 2021)