50, 100 & 150 Years Ago: October 2022

There is no life on the moon.

It looks like we are not alone in the universe. Our own may be one of millions of planets. Science wants to find life or its remnants elsewhere. The first chance to test our life-detection methods on samples that have been carefully collected and protected from the environment has been provided by the return of the moon samples. The first search is complete. No life-forms, living or dead, have been found in the lunar samples after intensive studies with sophisticated techniques capable of revealing any biochemicals or their derived products.

Pregnancies that aren't intentional.

The decline in the U.S. birthrate has been a result of the modernization of U.S. contraceptive practices. In 1960 the birthrate was 23.7 per 1,000 of population, in 1971 it was 17.3 and in the first five months of this year it was 16. According to Charles F. Westoff, co-director of the 1970 National Fertility Study, about four out of five couples practiced contraceptives in 1970. The efforts of public and private family planning programs were likely to be to blame for the high level.

1922

The smell of gas is safe.

The danger of asphyxiation from natural gas in the home is very high. Professor Henderson of Yale University wants to introduce a strong odor into the gas supply in order to detect a small leak before it becomes a bigger problem. One of the most powerful odors we associate with is that of mercaptan. The mercaptan is no longer odorous because of the chemical change caused by burning the gas. As long as the gas supply system is functioning, there will be no problems. If a small amount of gas is allowed to escape without burning, that will be immediately detected.

It is possible to use hypnotism for surgery.

The patient is snoozing before an operation. The narcosis condition creeps into the hypnotized state when the anesthetic is administered slowly. The hypnotic condition continues even after the operation is over. The poisoning effect, brought about by ether, is reduced with the use of only two-thirds to three-fifths of anesthetic. The patient is not very upset. There is no feeling sick. For several hours and even days, the patient can recover from the effects of the operation, which include acute pain and mental distress. The patient needs to be given drugs frequently to overcome the strain on their nerves.

1872

The plants have black ink on them.

Botanists are trying to set up a plant in Europe that will be a good acquisition for ink manufactories. The juice which is given the name chanhi is initially reddish in color, but becomes black in a few hours. It's possible to use it without any preparation. The chanhi is more resistant to time and chemical agents. During the Spanish domination, all public documents were required to be written with this ink, and they were liable to damage by sea water.

The news is instantaneous.

J.W.K. in Colorado suggests that a whole city should be furnished with the latest telegraphic news at the same time as it arrives. The old way is too slow even with horses.