100 YEARS AGO

“Balnibarbian Glumtrap Rhyme” — G. M. Minchin

Distant scintillating star, Shall I tell you what you are? Nay, for I can merely know What you were some years ago.

For, the rays that reach me here May have left your photosphere Ere the fight of Waterloo — Ere the pterodactyl flew!

Many stars have passed away Since your æther-shaking ray On its lengthy journey sped — So that you, perhaps, are dead!

Smashed in some tremendous war With another mighty star — You and all your planets just Scattered into cosmic dust!

Strange, if you have vanished quite, That we still behold your light, Playing for so long a time Some celestial pantomime!

But, supposing all is well, What you're made of, can I tell? Yes, 'twill be an easy task If my spectroscope I ask.

From Nature 14 April 1898.

50 YEARS AGO

In Nature of January 3, a review entitled “Atomic Energy” by Prof. J. A. Crowther referred to the progress made “since the spontaneous release of atomic energy fogged a packet of photographic material in the drawer of Becquerel's desk”. This sentence seems to imply that the discovery of radioactivity by Henri Becquerel, my father, in 1896, was fortuitous — which is incorrect. He intentionally subjected a photographic plate — not a “packet” — to the action of salts of uranium. His first idea was that phosphorescence of uranyl salts might be accompanied by a radiation similar to X-rays, which had just been discovered. — Jean Becquerel

From Nature 17 April 1948.

Many more abstracts like these can be found in A Bedside Nature: Genius and Eccentricity in Science, 1869-1953, a 266-page book edited by Walter Gratzer. Contact David Plant.

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