Knock knock, open, progress has come! 6 interesting stories about scientific achievements

1. Painful road to the invention of anesthesia

October 16 is World Anesthesia Day. It was on this day in 1846History of anesthesia. There were terrible dramas in it, but it began with comedy and farce / Arguments and facts The world's first operation under ether anesthesia was performed. It is hard to imagine what medicine looked like before this invention. A handkerchief clamped between teeth, arms and legs tied to a couch, anesthesia with alcohol before a surgical incision - ready-made plots for horror films. And these are not all known options for early anesthesia. Among others, blows to the head, profuse bloodletting, and squeezing of the carotid artery were popular. By such methods, the doctors of the past introduced patients into an unconscious state. And in a London hospital, According to the legendWells / historymed.ru, the bell is still preserved, with the ringing of which they tried to drown out the cries of patients during operations.

Fortunately, in the history of anesthesia there was a place not only for terrible screams, but also for laughter. This period is associated with the use of nitrous oxide, laughing gas, as anesthesia. The first to test its effect on himself was a 20-year-old English chemist Davy Humphrey. It happened in

1799Wells / historymed.ru year. The young scientist was cutting his wisdom tooth, and he inhaled gas to get rid of the pain. Dental wisdom did not justify itself immediately: Davy published an extensive work on his observations, doctors dabbled in similar experiments, but laughing gas in medicine did not gain public recognition. Until in 1844 the dentist Horace wellsWells / historymed.ru I did not dare to remove my tooth under nitrous oxide. The specialist was inspired by the sight of his friend, who, at a lecture under gas vapor, did not notice how he broke his knee. The operation to remove Wells' tooth was a success. But the repeated demonstrative experiment of 1845 is not. Horace was ridiculed, and that was the end of the fun. The young dentist developed a nervous breakdown and soon committed suicide. But ether anesthesia came on the scene again - this time successfully - under the guidance of another dentist, William MortonHistory of anesthesia. There were terrible dramas in it, but it began with comedy and farce / Arguments and facts. It was he who became the world's first anesthesiologist.

2. The Dual History of the Microwave

There is a theory that the first microwave was invented in the USSR. In favor of this testifiesThe microwave oven was invented by scientists from the USSR / Trud note of the newspaper "Trud" dated June 13, 1941. It says that a miracle machine using ultra-high frequency currents can reduce the cooking time of a ham from 5-7 hours to 15-20 minutes. But the patent for the magic chef's box belongsUS2495429A - Method of treating foodstuffs / Google Patents American Percy Spencer.

Divergence in geography is not the only ambivalent moment in the history of the microwave. As for the gastronomic inspirer of this invention, there are also different legends. Most Popular versionRandom discoveries: microwave. How a kitchen appliance turned out to be a by-product of the development of military equipment / TASS Nauka says that Spencer was visited by the engineering muse at the moment when, under the influence of magnetron waves, chocolate melted in his pocket. Other sourcesThe microwave oven was invented by scientists from the USSR / Trud they say that the magnetron did not spoil the candy, but warmed up the sandwich that was standing next to it. At the same time, both options are unanimous in the idea that the microwave oven is an accidental invention. The laboratory where the kitchen helper was born was designed to developmentRandom discoveries: microwave. How a kitchen appliance turned out to be a by-product of the development of military equipment / TASS Nauka military radar. And a chocolate bar (or sandwich) that ended up near the magnetron is a happy coincidence that has made modern home cooking much easier. By the way, the first microwaves wereRandom discoveries: microwave. How a kitchen appliance turned out to be a by-product of the development of military equipment / TASS Nauka one and a half meters high and weighed more than 350 kilograms. Buying such a device to warm up yesterday's dinner was not very cost-effective. So it was only a couple of decades later that microwave oven buyers could firmly establish themselves in the everyday life of microwave oven buyers.

3. Natural motives in the invention of Velcro

This invention was presented to the world by the Swiss engineer Georg de Mestral. AT 1958Who Invented Velcro / Parliamentary Gazette In the same year he patented a discovery that still saves millions of people from fussing with shoelaces today.

The simplest clasp consists of two layers of material: on the surface of the first - bristles-hooks, on the second - loops. Technology inspired by nature. Once George de Mestral was walking his dog and on the route they met a burdock bush. Combing the pet, the engineer thought: how do the seeds cling so strongly to wool and clothes? The burdock went under a microscope, and de Mestral saw the very hooks that today are made of nylon and flaunt on down jackets, sneakers and toys. The technology was presented back in the late 1950s, then in the 1970s usedWho Invented Velcro / Parliamentary Gazette for NASA astronaut suits and only then came to widespread use.

4. Accurate calculations and everyday accidents in the discovery of Neptune

Neptune is the eighth planet in the solar system and the only one discovered through preliminary calculations, rather than direct observation through a telescope. The prerequisite for the search for Neptune was the inappropriate behavior of its neighbor, Uranus. The seventh planet did not want to obey Newton's law: the ice giant had problems with gravity, and the position of the naughty number seven did not coincide with Newton's theory of motion planets. Then scientists suggested that another, eighth and yet undiscovered planet affects the gravity of Uranus.

The representative of this theory was, in particular, the French scientist Urbain Le VerrierThe tale of John Adams and Urbain Le Verrier, who caught Neptune on a mathematical hook / Scientific Tales Nick. Gorkavy / Science and life. The astronomer calculated the position of Neptune mathematically, but his work was ignored at home. Then Le Verrier wrote to a young colleague from the Berlin Observatory, Johann Galle. The decision to appeal to the younger generation turned out to be very successful. The fact is that Halle's namesake, Johann Franz Encke, head of the Berlin Observatory, is completely didn't likeThe tale of John Adams and Urbain Le Verrier, who caught Neptune on a mathematical hook / Scientific Tales Nick. Gorkavy / Science and life new ideas that required interventions in a strict observation schedule. And Le Verrier's theory needed immediate confirmation with the help of equipment. Young Galle was so fired up with the ideas of the French comrade that he obtained access to the telescope from Encke, who, by a lucky chance, was in a hurry to attend his own anniversary. That same night, Halle sat down to watch with his student assistant, Heinrich d'Arre. And after a few hours of work, the guys were already waking up the pedantic head of the observatory with the triumphant news about the discovery of a new planet. it happenedInvisible planet. Why Neptune is blue and how beer helped find its largest satellite / TASS Science September 23, 1846.

It is noteworthy that the international prestige of the discovery of Neptune could belong not only to the French. Around the same time, independently of Le Verrier, a young student from Cambridge was able to accurately calculate the position of the eighth planet and paint some of its properties. His name was John AdamsThe tale of John Adams and Urbain Le Verrier, who caught Neptune on a mathematical hook / Scientific Tales Nick. Gorkavy / Science and life, and the theory of an inexperienced Englishman also met only ridicule and distrust from older colleagues. So excessive conservatism and distrust of young talents cost France and England a high-profile discovery in the treasury of world achievements.

5. Provincial plume of life-saving vaccine

Mass skepticism about vaccines is a familiar situation in history. And in the case of smallpox, people's wary attitude towards everything new was especially expensive. From black pox was dyingDoyarkina vaccine / Kommersant up to 40% of patients, and the contagiousness of the infection was so high that chance of getting sickDoyarkina vaccine / Kommersant after contact with the infected was almost 100%. Only in the 20th century the virus carried awaySmallpox eradication: a memorable date and an optimistic reminder during the spread of COVID‑19 and other diseases / WHO the lives of 300 million people.

In Russia, she was the first to make herself vaccinationThe history of vaccination: how Russia defeated smallpox / Sechenov University from a terrible infection Catherine II. True, manipulation from imperial times had little in common with the modern procedure. Unless the main principle is: it is better to have a mild form of infection beforehand from a small dose of infection and acquire immunity than, most likely, to die later. But instead of the sterile syringes and bottles with the saving liquid that we are used to, the scabs of the sick were then used. Pieces of the affected tissue were simply rubbed into the wound on the body of a healthy person. The procedure is not the most pleasant - it is not surprising that anti-vaxxers began to appear everywhere among the people.

Mortality in the army and at the court of the empress decreased after vaccination: the soldiers were not asked, and the highest circles were inspired by the example of Catherine herself. Meanwhile, ordinary people avoided medical innovations. It is ironic that the modern vaccine comes from the people. Namely, from a cow stall. Europe's main milk suppliers also had smallpox, and Edward JennerDoyarkina vaccine / Kommersant, an English doctor from the provinces, somehow decided to check what would happen to a person infected with a cow virus. Spoiler: for the happiness of mankind and the eight-year-old son of the gardener Jenner, nothing terrible will happen. It was this boy who, in 1796, received some of the dangerous animal virus. And the fruits of the ethically dubious experiment were successfully disseminated by WHO, which at the end 1960sWHO: Smallpox eradication 40 years ago suggests victory over COVID‑19 is achievable / TASS urged all countries of the world to vaccinate. By the way, the final victory over the terrible virus was announced not so long ago - only in 1980Smallpox eradication: a memorable date and an optimistic reminder during the spread of COVID‑19 and other diseases / WHO.

6. "Flying" history of ultrasound

People born to walk and crawl quite successfully master bird flights - observation of the diversity of nature has inspired mankind to great discoveries for thousands of years. Humans also owe the discovery of ultrasound to animals, namely bats.

The method, which is actively used in medicine, was discovered by the Italian biologist-physiologist Lazzaro Spallanzani. The scientist observed bats and their ability to navigate in dark caves. Lazzaro suggested that the excellent sense of space is not at all connected with the possibilities of vision. And proofUltrasound: a step into medicine / Rostec found: it turned out that if you plug the ears of bats, the animals become helpless. In this "brutal" experiment of 1794, ultrasound was discovered - waves with a frequency above 20 kHz, inaccessible to human hearing.

And again, more than a century had to wait for recognition. Ultrasound received medical use only in the 1930s. Then, with the help of high-frequency waves, pain and inflammation from arthritis were relieved. A decade later, ultrasound became the diagnostic method. The relevant properties of the technology were discovered by an Austrian psychiatrist and neurologist Carl DussickUltrasound: a step into medicine / Rostec, who noticed that the waves pass through healthy tissues and through the tumor with different intensities.