From Neurotic Cats to One-Eyed Aliens: Quirky Scientific Tales Through the Ages

Speedy Summary

• Time Capsule of Scientific Predictions and Discoveries: scientific American reflects the evolution of scientific understanding over 180 years, showcasing ideas once considered mainstream that now appear strange, funny, or visionary.
• Ancient Highlights:

– April 6, 1895: Early efforts to transmit images via wire using the “Amstutz Electro-Artograph.”
– March 19, 1881: statistics on frequent steam boiler explosions in industrial applications.
– January 27, 1906: Use of nitroglycerin for safe-breaking in early modern times.- June 19,1869: Japanese visitors surprised Americans by using disposable paper tissues instead of handkerchiefs.

• Notable Space Insights (1950-59):

– Methods for drinking liquids under weightlessness tackled with squeeze bottles resembling baby food containers.
– Pluto’s mass discovered to be smaller than previously assumed during solar system studies (1950).

• Unusual Experiments: Cats shown experiencing neurotic behavior due to air jets during behavioral trials (March -1950).

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