Curiosidades en la historia de la ciencia
Mañana se inaugura la IV Edición del Curso de Divulgación “Los Avances de la Química y su Impacto en la Sociedad” (ver cartel). En la charla hablaremos de la historia de la química; pero más de la historia de los científicos que la han construido. Algunos aspectos que se tratarán se recogen en forma de preguntas, como las que se indican a continuación (algunas ya se repitieron en la tercera edición del curso, ver aquí las preguntas y respuesta) y el cuestionario se ha ampliado.
1) ¿Cual ha sido el químico más desafortunado de la historia? (No vale contestar “Lavoisier”).
2) ¿Quién fue el primer químicos de la historia? ¿Para qué sirvió la primera reacción química de la historia?
3) ¿Cuál crees que es la principal contribución de Lavoisier a la historia de la química? (Pista: Lavoisier no descubrió el oxigeno).
4) ¿Qué químico representa, como ningún otro, “las dos caras de la química”?
5) ¿Por qué Faraday, científico británico y uno de los más grandes de la historia, no fue nombrado caballero (sir) o barón (lord)?
6) ¿Qué gran científico de finales del siglo XIX no fue capaz de reconocer los “nuevos caminos” que tomaba la ciencia?
7) ¿Dónde y cuando se celebró el primer congreso internacional de química? ¿Qué jóvenes científicos acudieron al mismo y después cambiaron el curso de la química?
8) ¿Cual ha sido el sueño más trascendental en la historia de la química? ¿Y la noche en vela (por insomnio) más fructífera?
9) ¿Quién acuñó el término “ión”? ¿Quién acuño el término “mol”?
10) ¿Se puede “creer” en los iones y no en los “átomos”?
11) ¿Qué químico fundó la microbiología?
12) ¿Cual es el origen de la química física? ¿Es química o es física?
13) ¿Desde cuando existe la ciencia? ¿Desde cuando existe la química?
14) ¿Quién fue la primera celebridad (en términos de “famoseo”) de la química?
15) ¿Quién descubrió el oxígeno? ¿Qué es un descubrimiento científico?
16) ¿Por qué había tanta necesidad de encontrar un método industrial de síntesis de sosa (carbonato sódico)? ¿Y de amoniaco?
17) Según Liebig, ¿qué sustancia química es indicador de la riqueza de una nación?
18) ¿Qué sustancia química ha salvado más vidas en la historia de la humanidad? ¿Quién la descubrió?
19) ¿Quién descubrió más elementos químicos? ¿Qué tres elementos químicos fueron descubiertos por españoles?
20) ¿Qué joven de 18 años revolucionó la química? ¿Qué relevancia tuvo su descubrimiento?
21) ¿Cual fue la curiosa historia del descubrimiento del fósforo? ¿A quién se atribuye el descubrimiento?
22) ¿Qué químico fundó la medicina molecular y la biomedicina?
23) ¿Quién sentó las bases de la química agrícola?
24) ¿Qué metal, de uso común actualmente, llegó a ser tan valioso como los metales nobles? ¿Por qué el precio de este metal bajó de precio?
25) ¿Sabes que el la teoría de la “fuerza vital”? ¿Cuando dejó de tener vigencia esta teoría?
26) ¿Por qué la teoría del flogisto dominó la química durante un siglo?
27) ¿Qué metal puro obtuvo el mismo químico que sintetizó urea por primera vez? ¿Quién era este químico? ¿Con qué otro químico de la época mantuvo una intensa correspondencia científica?
28) ¿Cual ha sido la evolución en la investigación en materiales energéticos?
29) ¿Qué alquimista fue un fiel seguidor de la “filosofía” de Lutero? ¿Qué aportó este alquimista a la historia de la ciencia?
30) ¿Sabes la cronología de los descubrimiento de los elementos químicos?
31) ¿Qué químico fue el primero en reconocer el efecto invernadero? ¿Qué otras investigaciones realizó este científico?
32) ¿Quién fue el “refundador” de la termodinámica? ¿Por qué su trabajo pasó desapercibido?
33) ¿Qué otros acontecimientos químicos se pudieron celebrar en 2011? ¿Qué se pudo celebrar en 2012? ¿Qué se ha podido celebrar en 2013?
34) ¿Quién sintetizó agua por primera vez?
35) La protección de un animal permitió un desarrollo científico importantísimo en la industria cinematográfica ¿De qué animal hablamos? ¿Cual fue el material?
36) ¿Cuales fueron las principales contribuciones científicas de Frederick Sanger? ¿Qué relevancia actual tiene este descubrimiento?
37) ¿Cuál fue la primera aplicación médica conocida de la radiografía? ¿Qué aspecto curioso tiene este dato?
38) ¿Qué fue antes “la bioquímica” o la “química orgánica”?
39) ¿Por qué la química de productos naturales es el motor de la química orgánica?
40) ¿Cuál ha sido el papel de los físicos en el desarrollo de la química?
41) ¿Por qué Kelvin no recibió el Premio Nobel de Física?
42) ¿Por qué Rutherford no recibió un sefundo Premio Nobel?
43) ¿Quién es el científico con el que han colaborado más científicos galardondos con el Premio Nobel?
44) ¿Cuál ha sido la relación de la química con las matemáticas a lo largo de la historia? ¿Qué científicos han destacado en el intento de matematizar la química?
45) ¿Qué nombres asociarías a la teoría atomista de la materia?
46) ¿Quienes fueron los físicos experimentales que revolicionaron la ciencia a finales del siglo XIX?
47) ¿Qué físico relevante pensaba, a finales del siglo XIX, que todo estaba hecho en ciencia?
En la imagen se muestran algunos de los científicos de los que hablaremos en la conferencia de mañana.
Nota: En este post se habla de ciencia, que incluye historia, filosofía, matemáticas, física, química y cristalografía; por ello, participa en los siguientes carnavales y festivales científicos:
XXIX Carnaval de la Química, que organiza Héctor Busto (@hebusto) en su blog Más ciencia, por favor.
I Festival de la Cristalografía, (el del sistema triclínico), que organiza este autor en el blog Educación Química.
Edición 4.12310562 del Carnaval de Matemáticas, cuyo blog anfitrión es ::ZTFNews.
XLVI Edición del Carnaval de la Física cuyo blog anfitrión es Gravedad Cero.
Now sitting back and recognising that this was a small but real win in my reading day, and a stop at strategylogic extended that quiet win, the cumulative effect of small reading wins versus the cumulative effect of small reading losses is real over time and this site is contributing to the wins side of that ledger.
Liked the way the post handled the final paragraph, no neat bow but no abrupt cutoff either, and a stop at focusnavigator continued that thoughtful ending pattern, endings are hard and most blog writers either over engineer them or skip them entirely and this site has clearly figured out a sustainable middle approach.
Looking at this objectively the editorial quality is hard to deny even setting aside personal taste, and a stop at idearouting maintained the same objective quality, the gap between what I personally enjoy and what is objectively well crafted exists and this site clears both bars simultaneously which is rarer than it sounds.
Comfortable read, finished it without realising how much time had passed, and a look at capitaltrustbond pulled me into more pages the same way, the absence of friction in good content lets time disappear and that is one of the highest compliments I can pay any piece of writing I find online during a regular search session.
During my morning reading slot this fit perfectly into the routine, and a look at momentumcraft extended that perfect fit into the rest of the routine, content that matches the rhythm of how I actually read rather than demanding accommodation from my schedule is content well calibrated to its likely audience and this site has it.
Felt the post was written for someone like me without explicitly addressing me, and a look at visionprogression produced the same fit, when content lands on its target without pandering you know the writer has done careful audience thinking rather than relying on demographic targeting or interest signals to do the work of editorial decisions.
Now noticing that the post benefited from being neither too short nor too long for its content, and a look at professionalbondnetwork continued that calibration of length, sites that match length to content rather than padding to hit some target are sites that respect both their material and their readers and this site does both.
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Reading this on a phone at a coffee shop and finding it perfectly suited to that context, and a stop at strategicgrowthbond continued the comfortable mobile experience, content that works across reading conditions without compromising on substance is increasingly important and this site has clearly thought about the whole reader experience here.
Probably the kind of site that should be more widely read than it appears to be, and a look at focusdefinesmomentum reinforced that quiet wish, the gap between a sites quality and its apparent reach is sometimes large and that gap exists for this site in a way that makes me want to mention it more.
Cuts through the usual marketing fluff that dominates this topic online, and a stop at focusfeedsmomentum kept the same clean approach going, this is the kind of writing that respects the reader’s time rather than wasting it on repetitive setups before finally getting to the point at hand which is what most sites do.
Bookmark earned, share earned, return visit earned, all from one reading session, and a look at focusactivation did the same, the trifecta of bookmark and share and return is rare in a single visit and represents the highest level of engagement I tend to offer any piece of online content these days here.
Found something new in here that I had not seen explained this way before, and a quick stop at globaltrustalliance expanded the idea even further, the kind of writing that nudges your thinking forward a bit without forcing the issue is exactly what I look for online today and rarely actually find anywhere.
A handful of memorable phrases from this one I will probably use later, and a look at claritymovement added a couple more, content that contributes language to my own communication rather than just facts is content with a different kind of utility and this site is providing that linguistic utility consistently across what I read.
Reading this in my last reading slot of the day was a good way to end, and a stop at signalunlocksprogress provided a satisfying close to the reading session, content that ends a day well rather than agitating it before sleep is the kind I value increasingly and this site fits that role for me consistently now.
Reading this gave me the rare experience of fully agreeing with all the conclusions, and a stop at clarityactivator continued that agreement pattern, content that aligns with my existing views without seeming designed to do so is just content that happens to be reasonable and this site reads as reasonable rather than ideological mostly.
I really like the calm tone here, it does not push anything on the reader, and after I went through claritystrategy I felt the same way, just steady useful content laid out without drama, which is exactly what someone trying to learn something quickly needs to find rather than aggressive marketing.
Reading this in three sittings because the day was fragmented, and the piece survived the fragmentation, and a stop at growthflowswithsignal held up under similar reading conditions, content engineered for continuous attention is fragile in modern conditions and this site reads as durable across the realistic ways people consume content today.
Picked up several practical tips that I plan to try out this week, and a look at unitedcapitalbond added a few more I will be testing alongside, content with practical hooks that connect to my actual life is the kind that earns my repeat attention rather than the merely interesting that I forget within a day.
Strong recommendation from me, anyone curious about the topic should make time for this, and a look at actiondrivesdirection only sharpens that recommendation further, the kind of resource that holds up against careful scrutiny rather than crumbling at the first critical question is rare and worth pointing other people toward when the topic comes up.
A piece that suggested careful editing without showing the marks of the editing, and a look at signalpowersgrowth continued that invisible polish, the best editing disappears into the prose and this site reads as having been edited with skill that does not announce itself which is the highest compliment I can offer any blog content.
Skipped lunch to finish reading, which says something, and a stop at progressactivator kept me at my desk longer than planned, when content beats the lunch impulse the writer has done something genuinely impressive in an attention environment full of immediately satisfying alternatives competing for the same finite block of reader time.
Started forming counter examples to test the claims and the post handled most of them implicitly, and a look at claritynavigator continued that anticipatory style, writers who think two steps ahead of the critical reader save themselves from a lot of follow up work and this writer has clearly internalised that habit consistently.
Looking back on this reading session it stands as one of the better ones recently, and a look at directionalstructure extended that ranking, the informal ranking of reading sessions against each other is something I do mentally and this session ranks high largely because of this site and a couple of related pages here.
Appreciated the way each section connected smoothly to the next without abrupt jumps, and a stop at securepathbond kept that flow going nicely, transitions are something most blog writers ignore but the difference is huge for the reader who is trying to follow a sustained line of thought today across many different topics.
Liked the way the post got out of its own way, and a stop at actioncreatesvelocity extended that invisible craft, the best writing you barely notice while reading because it is doing its work without drawing attention to itself and this site has clearly mastered that disappearing act across the pieces I have read.
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Glad I gave this fifteen minutes rather than the usual three minute skim, and a look at trustedlineage earned the same investment, time spent on quality content is rarely wasted but the reverse is also true and learning which sites deserve which kind of attention is part of being a careful online reader.
A piece that did not lecture even when it had clear positions, and a look at forwardenergyactivated maintained the same teaching without preaching tone, finding the line between informing and lecturing is hard and most sites land on the wrong side of it but this one has clearly figured out how to inform without becoming preachy.
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Reading this prompted a small redirection in something I was working on, and a stop at growthpathway extended that redirecting influence, content that affects my actual work rather than just my thinking has the highest practical impact and this site is providing that level of influence for me at a sustainable rate apparently.
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Really liked the calm tone running through the post, no shouting and no urgency forced into the writing, and a look at bondedhorizons kept that quiet confidence going, the kind of voice that makes the reader feel respected rather than yelled at which is depressingly common across most modern blog content these days.
Closed the laptop and walked away thinking about the post for a good twenty minutes, and a stop at forwardmovementlab produced similar lingering thoughts, content that survives the closing of the browser tab is content that has actually entered the mind rather than just decorating the screen for the duration of the reading.
Reading this gave me something to think about for the rest of the afternoon, and after actionstarter I had even more to mull over, the kind of post that lingers in the background of your day rather than evaporating immediately is genuinely valuable in an attention economy that punishes depth rather than rewarding it.
Honest reaction is that this is the kind of writing I would defend in a conversation about good blog content, and a look at growthmovesintentionally reinforced that, the rare site whose work I would actively recommend rather than just tolerate is the kind I want to support through return visits regularly.
Worth pointing out that the post avoided the temptation to summarise everything at the end, and a look at clarityguidesmovement continued that confident closing approach, content that trusts readers to retain the substance without being reminded of it at the end is content that respects the reader and this site practices that respect.
A piece that did not try to be timeless and ended up reading as durable anyway, and a look at focustrajectory extended that durable feel, content that stays useful past its publication date without straining for permanence is content that ages well and this site has the kind of evergreen quality that I value highly today.
This one is staying open in a tab for the rest of the day so I can come back and re read certain parts, and a look at actionguidance suggests I will be doing the same with a few more pages here too, this is going to be a deep dive over the coming hours.
Reading this felt productive in a way most internet reading does not, and a look at actiondrivenmovement continued that productive feeling, sometimes the open web feels like a waste of time but sites like this remind me why I still bother to look around rather than retreating to old reliable sources for everything I need.
Reading this prompted me to dig out an old reference book related to the topic, and a stop at actionfuelsprogress extended that connection to other sources, content that connects me back to my own existing knowledge rather than asking me to forget it is content with continuity and this site has that continuous quality.
Generally my comment to other readers about new sites is to wait and see but for this one I would jump to recommend now, and a look at solidaritynetwork reinforced that early recommendation, the speed at which a site earns my recommendation is itself a quality signal and this one has earned mine quickly clearly.
Now planning a longer reading session for the archives, and a stop at globalunitybond confirmed the archives are worth that longer commitment, sites with archives I want to read deliberately rather than just sample are rare and this one has clearly earned that level of interest based on the consistency of what I have already read.
Decided after reading this that I would check this site weekly going forward, and a stop at progressmovesstrategicallynow reinforced that commitment, deciding to add a site to a regular rotation requires meeting a quality bar that very few places clear and this one cleared it cleanly without any noticeable effort or marketing push behind it.
After several visits I am now confident this site is one to follow seriously, and a stop at directionaldrive reinforced that confidence, the gradual building of trust through repeated quality exposures is the only sustainable way to develop reader loyalty and this site is building that loyalty in me through patient consistent work consistently.
Now noticing that the post avoided the temptation to be funny in places where humour would have undermined the substance, and a stop at successbondcollective maintained the same restraint, knowing when to be serious is a rare editorial virtue and this site has clearly developed it through what I assume is careful editorial practice over years.