50 YEARS AGO

The Spirit of Liberty: Papers and Addresses of Learned Hand — The papers and addresses collected in this book range for the most part over fields with which the man of science is concerned rather as citizen than as scientist...Supremely the book testifies to the truth of Judge Hand's contention that there is no substitute for an open mind enriched by reading and the arts, and that the scientific worker who would influence the thought and action of his time must have some acquaintance, the wider the better, with what others have thought and felt in circumstances as near as possible to those of the groups in question...The plea for the open mind and free discussion in which these words occur is much more than championship of dissent and a direct rebuke to the excesses of McCarthyism and secrecy and security procedures: it is an outstanding statement of the case for general education as the basis of a free society.

From Nature 17 September 1955.

100 YEARS AGO

At the present time by far the most serious problem which the automobilist has to face is the abatement of the “dust nuisance”. A great deal of bad feeling has arisen against the motorist on account of the dust which he too frequently produces, and there is no doubt that there are very good grounds for the irritation which has arisen, particularly in agricultural districts...Although a permanently good road may be made by the use of materials such as Tarmac, and dusty roads may be cured temporarily by various means, yet such measures can be taken only over a small proportion of our roads owing to the cost. In towns and large villages the roads might be suitably treated, but the average motorist seeks the country, and the greater part of the routes which he wishes to traverse will not pay for any special treatment.

From Nature 14 September 1905.