This Month in the Archives

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Dear Reader, February is called the “cruelest month” because of the cold snowy doldrums in the Northern Hemisphere (although on the other side of the globe, the heat has been pretty bad in Australia). Cold can be unpleasant but sometimes it can be fun. In the history of civilization it has also changed the way we farm, transport food, shop for food, and our cooking and diet. So let’s look at both of those: winter snow and the appliance you probably all have, the refrigerator. We should also keep chemistry in mind and look at hydrogen, which is not only the most abundant atom in the universe (and there’s a lot of it in snow) but an element that has been useful, and could be much more so in centuries to come. And for our 175th anniversary year, more gems from Scientific American’s history can be found at Artifacts from the Archive.

I hope you enjoy the journey! Dan Schlenoff, Editor of “50, 100 & 150 Years Ago”

World-Changing Appliance: The Refrigerator

A commercial refrigerator unit from August 1873 suggests why the “ice-box” was not replaced in private homes until the 1930s.

August 1873: In the 19th century natural (from stored ice) and artificial cold kept food fresher for longer during shipping and storage from farm to home. November 1929: The “ice-box” was superseded by “hermetically sealed” electric refrigerators. But their refrigerants were highly toxic and leaks could be lethal. January 1997: Albert Einstein (yes, that Einstein) and Leo Szilard invented new varieties of home refrigerators after hearing about lethally toxic refrigerant leaks.

Let it Snow Snow challenges the function of cities. Old and new methods to get rid of the stuff work side-by-side in this cover image from December 1916. March 1884: “Snow shoes" what we call skis now, seem entirely unfamiliar to the American reader in this short article—but it looks fun. December 1916: Snow is a problem to be fought and conquered in a big city. January 1973: The infinitely variable, ephemeral, six-sided snow crystal has fascinated scientists and kids alike for centuries.   Access 175 Years of Scientific Knowledge Hydrogen Hydrogen gas lifts artillery spotting balloons near the front lines in France in the First World War (August 1915). August 1915: The chemist as soldier: hydrogen gas was produced and delivered for use in artillery observation balloons during the First World War. February 1980: Storing atoms of an odorless, colorless, explosive gas is a challenge. Maybe they can be stuffed into the gaps in metal atoms. July 2006 Here’s an ambitious idea: store and transport electricity and hydrogen in the same nationwide grid of supercooled conduits. Current Issue: February 2020 Check out the latest issue of Scientific American For more highlights from the archives, you can read February’s 50, 100 & 150 Years Ago column.   Questions?   Comments? Download the Scientific American App To view this email as a web page, go here. You received this email because you opted-in to receive email from Scientific American. To ensure delivery please add news@email.scientificamerican.com to your address book. Unsubscribe    Email Preferences    Privacy Policy    Contact Us