Come one, come all to the thirty first edition of The Giant’s Shoulders Blog Carnival! A monthly event of epic scientific proportions. Step right up, ladies and gentlemen. Don’t be shy. Our featured carnies will give you a glimpse into the history of science by presenting classic scientific literature and providing helpful context for the casual reader. Come one, come all. A fantastic spectacle awaits…
Speaking of spectacles, put on yours, and look through the lens of time with these two optics articles…
First up is Kirsten Walsh, who sheds some light on Newton’s first optical paper in her post: Newton’s ‘Crucial Experiment’ – Early Modern Experimental Philosophy from the blog Early Modern Experimental Philosophy.
Now, if there’s one blogger that knows how to tell a story, it’s Jennifer Ouellette. She has reimagined the story of Ibn al-Haytham, who some consider to be the father of modern optics. The Scholar and the Caliph is posted at physicsworld.com.
For some more light reading, we have two articles pertaining to the hotspot of light itself; the sun…
Christie Thony has spotted the spotty history of the discovery of sun spots. If you have a spot of curiosity, The Rennaissance Mathematicus is the spot for you, check out the article: Spotting the Spots.
Dr. SkyScull writes an illuminating article on the discovery of the connection between radioactivity and solar radiation: The first glimmer of a nuclear Sun: radium and solar energy (1903) posted at Skulls in the Stars.
If the last two articles have left you with a bit of heat stroke, plunge into the ice-cold subject of glacier research with David Bressan. Here David will tell you the chilling story of how Glacier research came to be. Guest Blog: The discovery of the ruins of ice: The birth of Glacier research is posted at Scientific American.
Cold not your style? You prefer something with a bit more energy? Behold, Stephen at Reciprocal Space has written an energetic post about the man behind the SI unit: Joule in an article titled: Joule’s Jewel.
Speaking of hot things… Alun tells us the secret to a good date… a carbon date, that is. Check it out: Archaeologists prove the secret to a successful date is knowing what is on the menu posted at AlunSalt: Ancient Science and the Science of Ancient Things.
Expect the unexpected at a blog carnival, ladies and gentlemen… and in science also…
Michal Meyer takes a step back, and gives us a window into the nature of scientific discovery and the detours it sometimes takes. Discovery is posted at Periodic Tabloid.
Fun for the entire family! Something for the children, perhaps? Alice takes a look at early records of scientific literature for children in A bit of Victoriana posted at through the looking glass.
William Eamon presents an iconic time in the development of science in The Iconography of Scientific Discovery in the Renaissance (Part I) posted at The Official Website of Author William Eamon.
A separate but equal introduction is deserved by Romeo Vitelli who recounts the academic life of Mamie Phipps who’s scientific research transformed her into a civil rights icon. The “Separate But Equal” War is posted at Providentia.
Stand back, ladies and gentlemen! The next topic is not for the faint of heart, for it has been known to send some into the depths of utter madness…
Alexi Baker talks about the darker side of longitude in Longitude and Lunacy posted at Board of Longitude.
Creepy crawlies and things that go bump in the night…
Adrian Thysse’s article will leave you bug-eyed with an intoxicating tale about How to subdue an ant posted at The Bug Whisperer.
Brian Switek dives into the Origin of Species and speaks about the, so called, “missing links”. Breaking our link to the ‘March of Progress’ can be found on the scientific american blog.
What would a carnival be without a freak show? David Bressan digs down into past literature and unearths some interesting specimens in The greatest show on Earth posted at History of geology.
We laughed, we cried, we were left bug-eyed, and now it’s time to pack up and move on. No place is home for a carnival, but the Giant’s Shoulders still needs a place to stay next month. If you would like to host the next blog carnival, leave a comment on the Giant’s Shoulders site. Thank you guests, organizers and carnies.
It’s time for Morning Coffee Physics to get back to its regular scheduled blogging, starting with another cup of coffee.
