The Practice of Quality Control
The statistical analysis of manufacturing processes has become a powerful tool of technology. An account of how its principles are now applied in the factory
Features
The Evolution of Stars
Many astronomers believe that stars may be old, middle-aged or young. New studies indicate that the age of some may be less than a million years
Discoveries in Nitrogen Fixation
Until recently only a few microorganisms were thought to fix the nitrogen of the atmosphere in the form essential to higher plant and animal life. Now a number of others have been found
What is Pain?
It is surprisingly difficult to answer the question because the perception of injury involves a subtle blend of physiological and psychological factors
The Mass Spectrometer
This sensitive instrument sorts atoms and molecules of various weights by means of a magnetic field. Developed by physicists, it is now widely utilized in other sciences and in technology
The Embryologist and the Protozoon
A tale of the biological laboratory. A one-celled animal is cut to pieces with curious results that clarify how a fertilized egg gives rise to the specialized tissues of a many-celled organism
Perfect Numbers
Six is such a number: it is the sum of all numbers that divide it except itself. In 2,000 years 12 perfect numbers were found; now a computer has discovered five more
Captain Bligh and the Breadfruit
The voyage of the Bounty, which ended in the celebrated mutiny, was undertaken for an almost forgotten purpose: to bring a plant from the South Seas to the West Indies
Departments
50 and 100 Years Ago: March 1953
Science and the Citizen: March 1953
- Letters
Letters to the Ediors, March 1953
- Recommended
Books
- Amateur Scientist
The Amateur Scientist
- Departments
The Authors
Bibliography