Science coast to coast

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This program focuses on the scientific achievements of four U. S. universities. At Indiana University, Vaclav Hlavaty solved the differential equations of unified gravitational and electromagnetic field thus providing proof for Einstein's unified field theory. Erwin Schrodinger and Karl Schwarzschild, pioneers in this research, are also discussed. From the New York University, Dr. Serge A. Korff directed a study of the effects of cosmic radiation from a high altitude observatory built on Mt. Wrangell in Alaska. His plane pilot was Dr. Terris Moore, president of the University of Alaska. University of Pittsburgh's Dr. Buchsbaum, professor of zoology, worked with colleagues to research how cells bathed in a nutrient fluid react to drugs and disease. A film shows these cell reactions under a phase-contrast microscope. Under the direction of Henry J. Gomberg, William Kerr, assistant director of the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Project and assistant professor of electrical engineering at the University of Michigan are investigating peaceful uses of atomic energy. They have developed a beta ray microscope that uses radioactive isotopes as tracers in specimens under microscopic investigation. This allows them to see how atoms are distributed in alloys and tracing the path of carbon in plants.

Highlights of science for 1953

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Lynn Poole displays and discusses various symbols including: the skull and crossbones, horseshoe, swastika, barber pole, cigar store Indian, mortar and pestle, and chevron. Words can be symbols also. Latin, although not spoken today as a living language is still used in scientific communication. Latin began as the language of Rome and its vicinity, but through many conquests the Romans spread the use of Latin to the rest of Italy and what is now France, Spain, and North Africa. The Romans also conquered Greece, but since Green was also a highly developed literary language, the Greeks retained their own language. Latin also became the language of the Roman Catholic Church and medieval universities. Many scientific discoveries made during the Renaissance and the early modern period were given names in Latin. Even today Latin names such as Zea mays (corn) are used in scientific communication. Carl von Linné or Carolus Linneaus in Latin classified life forms in an orderly way using Latin terms. In his classification of kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species, a dog would be animal, chordata, mammalia, carnivora, canidae, canis familiarus. The Babylonians were fond of the number 60, which is retained today in 60 seconds in a minute, and 60 minutes in an hour, and even 360 degrees in a circle, which is 6 times 60. Weights and measures have been standardized so that they mean the same thing all over the world.