History of Science
In Out of the Box Lecture, Student Learns From a Cardboard Box
As the College looks to increase its focus on teaching and learning, one professor is thinking out of this world—giving a lecture on space travel on Wednesday while one of his students sat inside a small, 1.5 cubic meter cardboard box.
Professor Wins History of Science Award
The Sarton Medal is awarded every year to a scholar from the international community and is considered one of the highest honors in the history of science field.
15Q: Jonathan Eig, Author of 'The Birth of the Pill'
Sex: college students are pretty much always thinking, talking about, and (sometimes) doing it. That hasn’t always been the case. Recently journalist Jonathan Eig spoke at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine at Harvard Medical School about his new book, “The Birth of the Pill.” The story of the birth control pill’s invention is riddled with twists, turns, dashing characters, and plenty of sexual activity. FM’s conversation with Eig was less salacious, but no less salty or stimulating.
Natural History Museum Celebrates Earth Science Week
Scientists and researchers at Harvard’s museums shared their knowledge of fossils, gems, and other geological artifacts with the public this week as a part of Earth Science Week.
One Year after Marathon Bombings, Countway Library’s Digital Archive Commemorates Emergency Medical Response
The Countway Library of Medicine is continuing its efforts to expand “Strong Medicine,” a digital archive that captures and compiles the stories of last year’s emergency respondents.
Out of Spotlight, Hammonds Quietly Prepares for New Research Initiative
Nine months after she left University Hall and her tenure as dean of Harvard College, Evelynn M. Hammonds is laying the groundwork for a new research initiative and her return to the classroom.
New Exhibit Explores History and Science of Human Dissection
A new exhibit in the Science Center showcases human body parts and historical objects related to the science of dissection and anatomy.
Poster Child
A poster of the human skeletal system hangs at the Body of Knowledge display in Science Center 251. The exhibition, which focuses on the history of human anatomy, runs until Dec. 5, 2014.
Scientists Modify Cotton and Polyester to Display Repellent Properties
By modifying cotton and polyester fabrics with a coating that repels almost any type of substance, a research team from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering could be close to changing the nature of several consumer and industrial products—as well as the need for laundry.
Time Reckonings
Daniel L. Smail, a professor in the History Department at Harvard, is talking about the importance of timekeeping systems and how our modern life is sructured around the clock. The event was followed up by an exhibition.
Concentration Satisfaction: Class of 2012
As freshmen enter the second week of Advising Fortnight, Flyby presents a complete set of data from the Class of 2012's concentration satisfaction ratings. For all freshmen looking to narrow down the list of potential concentrations, sophomores or juniors curious about their chosen concentrations, and seniors reflecting on their undergraduate careers, here are the stats from last year's graduating seniors on how satisfied they were with their respective concentrations. Check out our four interactive graphs showing overall satisfaction rates among Humanities, Natural Sciences, SEAS, and Social Sciences concentrators in the Class of 2012.
Overall Satisfaction with Social Sciences Concentrations among Class of 2012
Graduating social sciences concentrators in the Class of 2012 rated their overall satisfaction with their respective concentrations on a scale of one to five.
Museum Exhibit Dials In on Time
Objects ranging from primitive Bedouin calendars to Japanese timekeeping are part of an ambitious interdisciplinary exploration of one of history’s most ubiquitous themes: time.
History of Science Rethinks Sophomore Tutorial
The History of Science department unveiled a revamped sophomore tutorial this semester featuring virtual interviews, student-driven lectures, and a chance for students to engage in independent research.
5 New Courses for the Undecided Shopper
Despite all its pluses and perks, shopping period does present Harvard students with one potential problem: buyer's remorse. While students filing into course book mainstays like Ec10 and LS1b pretty much know what to expect from the semester, nothing screams caveat emptor quite like the words "New Course" (and the telltale lack of a Q score) next to a class names. But new courses aren't all bad and often offer students a chance to snag a gem of a class before words gets out and the whole shebang is lotteried the following year. So, for those daring students who are eager to plunge into the great unknown (or who couldn't get into Maria Tatar's fairy tales class), here are five new courses that you might want to check out.
New Dinosaur Species Lurked in Harvard Back Room for Decades
Before he trekked around the globe unearthing fossils as a University of Chicago paleontologist and "National Geographic" explorer-in-residence, Paul C. Sereno excavated piles of long-forgotten rocks in the back rooms of Harvard's Natural History Museum. It was there that he discovered the Pegomastax africanus, a new species of dinosaur in the heterodontosaurus genus. After decades of research, he unveiled the new dinosaur last week in the online journal "ZooKeys."
Medical Museum Full of Treasures
The Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine–which showcases prime medical artifacts and houses texts both ancient and electronic—is a link between America’s oldest medical traditions and cutting-edge literature.
In Modern Research, A Botanist’s Legacy
The ideas espoused by influential botanist Asa Gray bear fruit to this day in the Harvard University Herbaria, where scientists glean new knowledge from centuries-old specimens.
George L. Goodale
George L. Goodale, who became the first director of the Harvard Botanical Museum in 1888, analyzes plants in a laboratory in the Harvard University Herbaria.
Exhibit Showcases Cold War Curricula
The History of Science Department's newest special exhibit "Cold War in the Classroom," on display until December 16 of this year, transports visitors to the post-World war II era.
Yugoslavian Oral History Project Removed from Science Center
While the death of Osama Bin Laden earlier this month prompted an outpouring of enthusiasm from students in the Yard, it had unexpected ramifications elsewhere at Harvard. The day after the celebration, a Yugoslavian oral history project titled "Transition: Transposition" that was located in a Science Center elevator was confused for a radical and dangerous response to the terrorist leader's death.