100 YEARS AGO

The chapter on resistance of cycles is very instructive. The conclusions are represented graphically, so that any one non-algebraically-minded can grasp the enormous importance of air resistance at high speeds. Extrapolating from these curves, it is seen that a man who can drive his machine under present conditions through the air at, say, 30 miles an hour, would, if road and machine resistance only had to be met, be able to drive at 330 miles an hour, or if he can actually go 20 miles an hour, he would be able to drive his machine 100 miles an hour. … The writer would like to propose a method to enable great speeds to be attained, which, however, is of spurious interest, since in real cycling the wind resistance must be overcome. All that is necessary is that a large box or small house with glass sides big enough to entirely surround the rider, but with a safe margin, should be dragged by steam or other power along at gradually increasing speeds until the rider shows that he is beginning to lag. Of course, there would be no floor or bottom to the box, and it should be made so that it would clear the ground by any predetermined amount. It might be safer if the house had no back.

From Nature 8 July 1897.

50 YEARS AGO

Despite progress in education, the great majority of people seem to have but an inkling of the part played by chemistry and its sister sciences in improving the material conditions of their existence, and very few have any real interest in the subject; they will grasp for an aspirin, grab for a ‘nylon’ stocking or a coat of many colours, they make full use of the modern rapid means of communication, and relish the margarine that now masquerades as butter, without a thought that these innovations are the outcome of long and patient research in chemistry, physics or biology. One may excuse such ignorance and apathy in those who were born in Victorian days, but there is less excuse for the younger generations, although these also have been handicapped at school in their range of interests by too much concentration on the distant past.

From Nature 12 July 1947.