Monthly Archives: March 2017

Peter Debye – Dipole Moments, X Rays, and Light Scattering

24. March 2017 Tabea Tietz

On March 24, 1884, Dutch-American physicist and physical chemist Peter Joseph William Debye was born. Debye’s investigations of dipole moments, X rays, and light scattering in gases brought him the 1936 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Most of his work was in chemical-physics with special interest in electrolytes and dipolar momentum analysis. He established a theory of specific heat with some improvements on that proposed by Einstein.[5] “If a problem is clearly stated,…

mathematics

George David Birkhoff and the Ergodic Theorem

21. March 2017 Harald Sack

On March 21, 1884, American mathematician George David Birkhoff was born. Birkhoff is best known for what is now called the ergodic theorem. Birkhoff was one of the most important leaders in American mathematics in his generation, and during his time he was considered by many to be the preeminent American mathematician. “The transcendent importance of love and good-will in all human relationships is shown by their mighty beneficent effect upon the…

physics

Vilhelm Bjerknes – A Pioneer of Modern Weatherforecast

14. March 2017 Harald Sack

On March 14, 1862, Norwegian physicist and meteorologist Vilhelm Bjerknes was born, Bjerknes is best known for being one of the founders of the modern science of weather forecasting with his 1921 published work “On the Dynamics of the Circular Vortex with Applications to the Atmosphere and to Atmospheric Vortex and Wave Motion“. Youth and Education Vilhelm Frimann Koren Bjerknes was born in Kristiania (later renamed Oslo), Norway, and enjoyed an early exposure…

biology

Marcello Malpighi – The Father of Microscopical Anatomy

10. March 2017 Harald Sack

On March 10, 1628, Italian biologist and physician Marcello Malpighi was born. Malpighi is referred to as the “Father of microscopical anatomy, histology, physiology and embryology“. In developing experimental methods to study living things, Malpighi founded the science of microscopic anatomy. After Malpighi‘s researches, microscopic anatomy became a prerequisite for advances in the fields of physiology, embryology, and practical medicine. Youth and Education Marcello Malpighi was born at Crevalcore near Bologna, Italy,…

chemistry

Stanley Miller’s Landmark Experiment on the Origin of Life

7. March 2017 Tabea Tietz

On March 7, 1930, American chemist Stanley Lloyd Miller was born. Miller made landmark experiments in the origin of life by demonstrating that a wide range of vital organic compounds can be synthesized by fairly simple chemical processes from inorganic substances. In 1952 he carried out the Miller–Urey experiment, which showed that complex organic molecules could be synthesized from inorganic precursors. The experiment was widely reported, and provided support for the idea…

economics

Momofuko Ando and the Secret of Instant Noodles

5. March 2017 Tabea Tietz

On March 5, 1910, Taiwanese–Japanese inventor and Businessman Momofuku Ando was born. Ando is known as one of the inventors of instant noodles, instant ramen, and Cup Noodles. He founded Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd. Ramen – the Student Super Food Poor college students around the globe know that every day is a good day for instant (ramen) noodles. They are filling, incredibly cheap as well as fast and easy to prepare.…

mathematics

John Pell and the Obelus

1. March 2017 Tabea Tietz

On March 1, 1611, English mathematician John Pell was born. Pell introduced the division sign (obelus, ÷) into England. The obelus was first used by Johann Rahn (1622-1676) in 1659 in Teutsche Algebra. Rahn’s book was interpreted into English and published, with additions made by John Pell. John Pell – Early Years Pell was born in Southwick in Sussex, where his father of the same name, John Pell, was pastor and rector; his…