May 1 Science History
Learn about the history of science by reading about the significant scientific events that took place on this day in history.
The remnants of this supernova were discovered in 1965 by radio astronomers Doug Milne and Frank Gardner. Within a few years, the remnant was detected by optical and x-ray astronomers.
1949 - Second Neptune moon discovered.
Gerard Kuiper discovered Nereid, the second moon of Neptune. This moon has a highly eccentric orbit (more oval than circular orbit). Nereid was too far away for Voyager 2 to take good pictures when it passed Neptune in 1989. The picture it did take was of an irregularly shape with no surface features visible.1902 - John Glover died.
Glover was an English chemist who created the Glover Tower to reclaim useful byproducts for reuse during the manufacture of sulfuric acid. The previous lead chamber method wasted necessary nitrogen to the atmosphere. Glover's tower recycled the exhaust back into the chamber and reclaimed the nitrogen.1852 - Santiago Ramón y Cajal was born.
Ramón y Cajal was a Spanish physician and accomplished histologist. His microscopic slide technique allowed him to highlight individual neurons where he found the neuron was the basic functional unit of the central nervous system. This work earned him half the 1906 Nobel Prize in Medicine.1839 - Hilaire Chardonnet was born.
Chardonnet was the French chemist who developed the first artificial fiber rayon while looking for a silk substitute.
1825 - Johann Jakob Balmer was born.
Balmer was a Swiss mathematician best known for his development of a formula to determine the wavelengths of hydrogen spectral lines. His formula was based on measured wavelengths and it wasn't understood why his formula worked until after his death and Niels Bohr presented his model of atomic structure.
1006 - Earliest recorded supernova appears in sky.
Chinese astronomers first recorded the existence of a 'guest star'. It would continue to increase in brightness until it was brighter than anything else in the night sky other than the moon and could even be seen during the day.The remnants of this supernova were discovered in 1965 by radio astronomers Doug Milne and Frank Gardner. Within a few years, the remnant was detected by optical and x-ray astronomers.
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