Cabinet of Curiosities #2: Apple pie for A.R. Wallace

You can still enter the naming contest and now this week cabinet of curiosities – links for a lazy afternoon… This Week Geohistory: November 9, 1934:  Birthday of a collection of organic molecules called Carl E.

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


You can still enter the naming contest and now this week cabinet of curiosities - links for a lazy afternoon...

This Week Geohistory:

  • November 9, 1934: Birthday of a collection of organic molecules called Carl E. Sagan

  • November 8, 1895: Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovers X-rays, not only useful to see bones, but also to identify the structure of crystals

  • November 7, 1492: The “thunderstone of Ensisheim” is the oldest documented (and preserved) European meteorite

  • November 6, 1910: Birthday of American zoologist, paleontologist, and geologist Everett C. Olson

  • November 5, 1955: Doc Brown invents the Flux-Capacitator, essential part of every DeLorean time machine


On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.


On November 7, we celebrated naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace´s contributions to science, from biology to geology:

This Week Geonews:

This Week Geopapers:

This Week Geobooks:

My name is David Bressan and I'm a freelance geologist working mainly in the Austroalpine crystalline rocks and the South Alpine Palaeozoic and Mesozoic cover-sediments in the Eastern Alps. I graduated with a project on Rock Glaciers dynamics and hydrology, this phase left a special interest for quaternary deposits and modern glacial environments. During my research on glaciers, studying old maps, photography and reports on the former extent of these features, I became interested in history, especially the development of geomorphologic and geological concepts by naturalists and geologists. Living in one of the key area for the history of geology, I combine field trips with the historic research done in these regions, accompanied by historic maps and depictions. I discuss broadly also general geological concepts, especially in glaciology, seismology, volcanology, palaeontology and the relationship of society and geology.

More by David Bressan

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American

Subscribe