FAST 2013

The FAST conference is this week at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Miami Airport & Convention Center. We look forward to seeing you and other science teachers from all over the state

Stop by and see Capital Microscope Services in Booth Number 48, to see the latest in microscopes and technology.

Check us out on Twitter (twitter.com/@CapitalMicro) and Facebook (fb.com/CapitalMicroscope) throughout the conference to see the exciting things going on in our booth.

Come do a "Touch the Tablet" activity using the Moticonnect App and the Moticam X Wifi Digital Microscope. Complete the survey and you could win a $5 Starbucks Gift card every hour. Winners will be announced on our Twitter and Facebook pages. So make sure you check regularly to see if you won. 

Can't wait to see everyone there!

August Science Newsletter

We at Capital Microscope hope you have had a wonderful start of the new school year. For the past 24 years Capital Microscope has been here to help you by providing the best in science equipment to make science an exciting activity for your students. We also can save you time and money in finding the perfect science materials.

The easiest way to find the best products at the best price is to go to our website at Capital Microscope. We are also available to answer your questions and recommend products that will fit your particular needs for your students. Contact us to see what I can do to make science come alive.

We are looking forward to presenting you our "Science Newsletter" this year. We will continue to bring you information you can share with your students regardless of the discipline you teach. Below you will find interesting facts to share with your students. Each month brings science news for you and your students.

Now that you are starting labs you may have found that the microscopes in your lab need some attention to serve your students better. Contact us about servicing your microscopes. We can keep your microscopes operating like new and save you time and money.

August Featured Products

Swift M3-F STEM Approved Microscope

The unique design of this microscope series allows you to introduce many STEM concepts to your students. More than just for micro, macro or forensic use, this series can be used for histology, biology, pathology, dental studies, quality control, comparison studies and many more applications.

A truly unique concept in microscopy! The M3-F forensic microscope offers professional features at a highly competitive price point. Use the M3-F's revolutionary technology to compare images in both micro and macro environments. The M3's dedicated macro lens, with a large working distance, allows you to view not only bullets but also larger more bulky, "evidence" items. Swift's powerful optical system allows for images to be seen either 100% from the left microscope, 100% from the right, side-by-side, or overlapping. The M3-F is the first and only comparison microscope at this price level that can achieve overlapping of images. With the optional C-mount adapter, you can easily attach any C-mount ready imaging device. Motic Trace, a forensic comparison software program, is also available and sold as an additional application.

Click here: "Forensic Microscope" to see a full description of this powerful microscope.

List Price: $1,950.00 

Your Price: $1,657.50

Human Anatomy Model

This plastic sexless human torso shows the respiratory, circulatory, digestive, nervous and urinary system. The lungs, heart, liver, stomach and intestines are easily removable for further examination. Comes mounted on a plastic base. This compact and durable model is ideal for biological science classes.

Click here for a full description.

List Price: $109.00 

Your Price: $79.95

August Science "Tidbits"

General Science History

In 1793, the first definition was made for the metre: one ten-millionth of the northern quadrant of the Paris meridian (5,132,430 toises of Paris, from the north pole to the equator). The definition was tweaked based on a second measure made along the Dunkirk-Barcelona axis (5,130,740 toises of Paris) and made legal by the French National Assembly on 7 Apr 1795. The toise was six French feet, 76.74 English inches, a pre-metric measure, from Latin tendere, to stretch (implying the distance between fingertips of a  man's arms stretched horizontally sideways, similar to the English fathom). In the Middle Ages, "the toise of Paris" was an iron bar with two tabs, fixed in a wall at the foot of the staircase of the Grand Châtelet in Paris.

Biology History

In 1865, Dr. Joseph Lister became the first surgeon perform an antiseptic operation by liberal use of carbolic acid (phenol) as a disinfectant. He had studied  Louis Pasteur's germ theory of disease, that infections are caused by bacteria. Lister knew carbolic acid had been effective in municipal use for treating sewage, and decided to try using it to kill germs that would otherwise infect wounds. He poured it on bandages, ligatures, instruments and directly on the wound and hands. His first patient to benefit from this procedure was James Greenlees, age 12, whose broken leg was treated after being run over by a cart. The dressing was soaked with carbolic acid and linseed oil. The wound healed without infection. Lister continued his protocol of hygiene, and reduced the surgical death rate from 45% to 15%.

Earth Science History

In 1990, the space probe Magellan arrived at its planned polar orbit around Venus. As the planet rotated slowly beneath it,Magellan circled once every 3-hr 15-min, collecting radar images of the surface in strips about 17-28 km (10-17 mi) wide and radioed back the information. Magellan was carried into space in the shuttle cargo bay of STS-30 Atlantis, launched 4 May 1989, and was the first planetary spacecraft to be released from a shuttle in Earth orbit. The Magellan mission also provided gravity, atmospheric and other measurements. On 11 Oct 1994, it was directed towards the surface, collecting data until it broke up and partially vaporized in the atmosphere.

Physics History

In 1994, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issued a press release that physicists there recently cooled atoms to 700 nanokelvins, the coldest temperature ever recorded for matter. NIST scientists chilled a cloud of cesium atoms very close to absolute zero using lasers to catch the atoms in an optical lattice. The atoms reached 700 nanokelvins, or 700 billionths of a degree above absolute zero. Zero kelvin (-273ºC), or absolute zero, is the temperature at which atomic thermal motion would cease. Since the late 1970s, physicists have sought to use lasers to cool atoms closer to absolute zero, primarily for improving atomic timekeeping, certain experimental measurements and lithography processes for the semiconductor industry.

Chemistry History

In 1774, Joseph Priestley, British Presbyterian minister and chemist, identified a gas which he called "dephlogisticated air" -- later known as oxygen. Priestley found that mercury heated in air became coated with "red rust of mercury," which, when heated separately, was converted back to mercury with "air" given off. Studying this "air" given off, he observed that candles burned very brightly in it. Also, a mouse in a sealed vessel with it could breathe it much longer than ordinary air. A strong believer in the phlogiston theory, Priestley considered it to be "air from which the phlogiston had been removed." Further experiments convinced him that ordinary air is one fifth dephlogisticated air, the rest considered by him to be phlogiston.

Quote

The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity. - Dorothy Parker

Thank you for your continued support. We are proud to be your science equipment source. Contact us when we can assist you in making science exciting and meaningful for your students.

This Week In Science

Hubble's First Photos

- In 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope sent its first photograph from space, an image of a double star 1,260 light years away.


Saturn Moons
- In 1995, astronomers Amanda S. Bosh and Andrew S. Rivkin found two new moons of Saturn in photos taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Wright Brothers Patent
- In 1906, the brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright received a patent for "new and useful improvements in Flying Machines" (U.S. No. 821,393). This was the first airplane patent in the USA.

Spectrophotometer
- In 1935, the first spectrophotometer was sold by General Electric Co., assignee of the patent issued at the beginning of the year to the inventor, Arthur Cobb Harvey (“Photometric Apparatus,” 8 Jan 1935, U.S. No. 1,987,441). This electronic machine was capable of distinguishing and charting two million different shades of colour. The apparatus used a photo-electric device to receive light alternately from a sample and from a standard for comparison. Its important innovation was to eliminate any need for the two beams (from sample and from standard) to travel different optical paths which in previous designs could introduce inaccuracies when one path varied from the other, caused for example by dirt on a lens in one path

Penicillin Test
-  In 1940, in one of the most famous animal tests in medical history, eight mice were inoculated with a lethal dose of streptococci and then four of them were injected with penicillin. Next day the four mice given streptococci alone were dead, the four with penicillin were healthy. Oxford scientists Howard Florey, Ernst Chain and Norman Heatley had revived Alexander Fleming's work. They produced enough antibiotic to test by isolating the active ingredient from what Fleming had called "mould juice," Ten years before, Fleming's had interest waned when he found penicillin prduction to be difficult, that it was very unstable, had no effect on certain bacteria (cholera, bubonic plague) and didn't work in animals when given by mouth

Leeuwenhoek's animalcules
- In 1676, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek applied his hobby of making microscopes from his own handmade lenses to observe some water running off a roof during a heavy rainstorm. He finds that it contains, in his words, "very little animalcules." The life he has found in the runoff water is not present in pure rainwater. This was a fundamental discovery, for it showed that the bacteria and one-celled animals did not fall from the sky. When a ball of molten glass is inflated like a balloon, a small droplet of the hot fluid collects at the very bottom the bubble. Leeuwenhoek used these droplets as microscope lenses to view the animalcules. Despite their crude nature, those early lenses enabled Leeuwenhoek to describe an amazing world of microscopic life.

May Science Newsletter

Another school year is coming to a close. All of us here at Capital Microscope hope that the year has been successful and rewarding for you and your students. We are very pleased to be able to support your efforts in providing the very best in science education. Please contact us as you prepare your orders for next year. Remember that we have expanded our offerings to include much of the standard supplies that you need for your laboratory experiments.

The easiest way to find the best products at the best price is to go to our website at Capital Microscope. We also available to answer your questions and recommend products that will fit your particular needs for your students.

We are also very proud to be recognized for our support of NSTA. You can find us on the web at NSTA Science Supply Guide.

We are looking forward to sending you our "Science Newsletter" next year. We will continue to bring you information you can share with your students regardless of the discipline you teach. Keep scrolling down to find interesting facts to share with your students. Each month brings science news for you and your students.

We are also scheduling summer microscope service. Click here to contact us about servicing your microscopes at Capital Microscope. We can keep your microscopes operating like new and save you time and money.

Have a Great Summer!! "See" you next school year.

May Featured Products

3050 Cordless Monocular Microscope
The Perfect K-8 Grade Microscope
Features:

• Modern design with convenient handle on arm of microscope for easy and safe transfer from workspace to workspace
• 10x Wide-Field eyepiece with pointer
• 45° inclined head, rotatable 360°
• 3.5" round moveable stage rotates 360° for convenience of        adjusting specimens with spring mounted stage clips
• Reverse nosepiece which allows for more work space on stage
• LED Cordless with rechargeable batteries
• Light intensity control
• Achromatic color coded 4X, 10X, and 40XR objectives
• Revolving triple nosepiece has positive click stops for easy and precise magnification changes.
• Instruction manual included

List Price: $199.00 
Your Price: $149.00

Laser Optical Demonstrator      

This optical geometric apparatus offers a compact, convenient and comprehensive set up with a metal dish template that has 360º rotation.  13 optical components are included such as a rectangular prism, a trapezoid prism, a right angle prism, a semicircular lens, a convex lens and a concave lens.  Students can also examine light ray paths in liquids with a rectangular acrylic cell and two mirrors with combined concave and convex planes.  A periscope model, a Galilean telescope model, a kepler telescope model and an optical fiber unit are included.  Includes instruction manual and two AAA batteries.

List Price: $292.00

Your Price: $225.00

May Science "Tidbits"

General Science History

In 1928, radio station WGY, in Schenectady, NY, began America's first regularly scheduled TV broadcasts. The programs lasted from 1:30 to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Most of the viewers were on the technical staff at nearby General Electric, which had designed the system and was using the broadcasts to refine its equipment. A handful of hobbyists who had built their own sets were also able to watch. Those who tuned in had to make constant adjustments, turning two knobs at once to keep the blurry picture discernible on their three-inch-square screens. By the end of 1928, 17 more stations around the country began scheduled broadcasts, designed to test the apparatus rather than attract viewers.

Biology History

In 1930, a new U.S. Plant Patent Act provided, for the first time, allowed patent protection for new and distinct varieties of asexually reproduced plants. This legislation resulted from the growing awareness that plant breeders had no financial incentive to enter plant breeding because they could not exercise control over their discoveries. In supporting this legislation, Thomas A. Edison testified: "This (bill) will, I feel sure, give us many Burbanks." He was referring to Luther Burbank who during a lifetime devoted to plant breeding developed more than 800 strains and varieties of plants. Burbank was issued 16 plant patents posthumously. Plant patent No. 10,000 was issued 12 Aug 1997 for a "Geranium plant named Lois."

Earth Science History

In 2000, a conjunction of the five bright planets - Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn - formed a rough line across the sky with the Sun and Moon. Unfortunately, nothing was visible from the earth, because the the line of planets was behind the Sun and hidden in its brilliance. Such a conjunction last happened in Feb 1962 and will not happen again until Apr 2438. Throughout former history, a conjunction event was regarded with foreboding. However, now science can be dismissive. Donald Olson, an expert on tides at Southwest Texas State University, working with the assistance of a graduate student, Thomas Lytle, calculated the stress on the Earth caused by the Moon and eight planets has often been routinely greater, most recently on 6 Jan 1990.

Physics History

In 1979, a potential difference of 32.0 million volts, the highest ever generated, was produced by the National Electrostatics Corporation at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Tennessee. Company personnel were testing the newly installed Pelletron accelerator model 25 URC, the largest manufacturered by the company. (The sustained terminal voltage was measured by the current measurement of the column corona voltage grading system to within an uncertainty of +/-5% or +/- 1.5 MV). On 7 May 1979, voltage tests had been conducted on the column structure prior to installation of the acceleration tubes. This 25 MV electrostatic tandem accelerator remains in use at ORNL producing radioactive ion beams for research.

Chemistry History

In 1860, the discovery of two new elements, caesium and rubidium, was announced by German chemists, Robert Bunsen and Gustav Robert Kirchhoff to the Berlin Academy of Scientists. Their salts were found in tiny amounts in the mineral waters of Dürkheim. They were detected by spectral analysis. Caesium was first noticed by its characteristic sky blue spectral lines, for which colour is was named (from Latin caesius). Likewise rubidium was characterized by deep red lines (named after L. rubidus). They are alkali metals, and have similar chemical properties to potassium.

Quote

Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present. - Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

March Science Newsletter

Now that March has come with the promise of Spring and Spring Break, Capital Microscope is here with the promise of our continued support of your science program. We are constantly reviewing our offerings to make sure we have the best materials for your science classroom.

Visit our website at Capital Microscope to find the best in science education supplies to make your science classroom and lab come alive for your students.

We are available to assist you in the process of combining science, technology, engineering, and math education into your science classroom. You can contact us here. We look forward to working with you.

Thank you for your continued support. We are proud to be your science equipment source. Contact us when we can assist you in making science exciting and meaningful for your students.

March Featured Products

Moticam X Wireless Digital Camera
Welcome to the future of Wireless Digital Microscopy. Unlock and unplug the power of your microscope with the new Moticam X. With capabilities to send live high resolution images to your WiFi enabled computer, tablet or cell phone, the possibilities are endless.

The Moticam X is a next generation microscope camera that will transform almost any old conventional microscope into a wireless device capable of sending live high resolution images to your WiFi computer, tablet device or cell phone. This revolutionary device sends streaming images to up to 6 devices without the need for a router. These WiFi enabled devices include tablets, phones or computers running on iOS, Android or Windows. Since the Moticam X generates its own WiFi signal, this camera can be used separate from your existing network. No additional routers are required.

List Price: $449.00
Our Price: $381.65

Swift SM101 STEM Approved Microscope   
Introducing a new look to the Swift Stereo Line! The SM101 features fixed magnifications of 10X and 30X. The SM101 includes energy-efficient variable LED illumination with 5 light setting combinations, "one-touch" spring loaded stage clips and right eyepiece diopter focusing adjustment. Ideal for high school classrooms and up. This new series of stereo microscopes is designed to fit your budget, too!

List Price: $389.00
Our Price: $330.65

March Science Tidbits

Earth Science History

In 1977, the rings of Uranus were discovered from earth by stellar occultation experiments made when Uranus occulted (passed in front of) a star and it was noticed that there were dips in the brightness of the star before and after it passed behind the body of Uranus. This data suggested that Uranus was surrounded by at least five rings. Four more rings were suggested by subsequent occultation measurements from the Earth, and two additional ones were found by space probe Voyager 2, bringing the total to 11. Direct observations of the rings from earth had not been possible, because the rings are lost in the planet's glare as seen through terrestrial optical telescopes. Most of the rings are not quite circular, and most are not exactly in the plane of the equator.

Physics History
In 1950, a new radioactive element, element 98, named "californium" was announced by scientists at the University of California at Berkeley. This is a synthetic chemical element of the actinide series in Group IIIb of the periodic table, isotope californium-245. The scientists Stanley G. Thompson, Kenneth Street, Jr., Albert Ghiorso, and Glenn T. Seaborg produced it by bombarding curium-242 (atomic number 96) with helium-ions in the 60-inch cyclotron. Since then, longer lived isotopes have been created, including californium-251 with an 800-year half-life, and microgram quantities of compounds such as the oxychloride CfOCl, the oxide Cf2O3, and the trichloride CfCl3. Also, californium-252, with a half-life of 2.65-years, has industrial and medical applications as a very intense point source of neutrons.

Chemistry History
In 1960, the first U.S. offshore sulphur mine began extracting sulphur. The Grand Isle offshore mine was built and operated by the Freeport Sulphur company, about 7 miles off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico. A steel structure with drilling rigs stood in 50-ft of water to reach the deposit 2,000-ft below the ocean bed. The rig also carries generators and boilers to generate the superheated water injected into the bore in the Frasch extraction process to melt the sulphur and help drive the molten material to the surface. Humble Oil & Refining Co. discovered sulphur-bearing limestone while test drilling for oil in 1949, and within five years had eight more sulphur prospect holes. Freeport Sulphur Co. acquired the mineral rights on 19 Sep 1956. More than $22 million was spent on pre-production construction.

Quote
You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?" - George Bernard Shaw

February Science Newsletter

Are you looking to build your STEM Classroom at your school? Look no further than Capital Microscope! We have a wide selection of STEM Approved Microscopes. Our professional staff can help you find the right combination of microscopes, cameras, and equipment to enhance STEM learning in your classroom and lab.

Click on this link, STEM, to find all that we have to offer for combining microscopy to support your STEM program at Capital Microscope.

And we are available to assist you in the process of combining science, technology, engineering, and math education into your science classroom. You can contact us at don@microscopesandmore.com.

Thank you for your continued support. We are proud to be your science equipment source. Contact us when we can assist you in making science exciting and meaningful for your students.

February Featured Products

Swift M3601C STEM Approved Microscope  
In this fast-paced changing classroom environment, we understand you need more than products, you need solid STEM solutions! This microscope is designed to build your STEM classroom!
The new Swift M3600 series continues the Swift tradition for innovation, quality and student-proof features, and updates our well-known M3500 classic model series with a brand new look and design. Built-in handle, built-in mechanical stage (M3602 models only), variable LED illumination and lead-free objectives, are just some of the state-of-the-art features that makes this series in a class of its own. Ideal for high schools and advanced grade levels.

Our Price: $330.65
List Price: $389.00

Moticam X Wireless Digital Camera 
Welcome to the future of Wireless Digital Microscopy. Unlock and unplug the power of your microscope with the new Moticam X. With capabilities to send live high resolution images to your WiFi enabled computer, tablet or cell phone, the possibilities are endless.


The Moticam X is a next generation microscope camera that will transform almost any old conventional microscope into a wireless device capable of sending live high resolution images to your WiFi computer, tablet device or cell phone. This revolutionary device sends streaming images to up to 6 devices without the need for a router. These WiFi enabled devices include tablets, phones or computers running on iOS, Android or Windows. Since the Moticam X generates its own WiFi signal, this camera can be used separate from your existing network. No additional routers are required.


Our Price: $381.65
List Price: $449.00

February Science Tidbits

General Science History
In 1901, a loop-the-loop centrifugal railway was patented by Edwin Prescott of Arlington, Mass. (No. 667,455) which he had installed at Coney Island in 1900 where it was known as Boynton's Centrifugal Railway. It had a 75-ft incline and a 20-ft-wide loop. He had previously obtained a patent for a roller coaster on 16 Aug 1898 (No. 609,164). This patent was to improve on the earlier design, having a purely circular loop, which resulted in an uncomfortable shock to passengers as the car entered the loop. The new design was made to offer more comfort by varying the radius of the curve of the loop to be greater at the entry point, but decreasing radius toward the horizontal diameter of the loop. The patent also covered other details of coaster construction.


Biology History
In 1995, news of research linking brain structure and artistic talent was released by at a press conference in Washington. Dr Gottfried Schlaug announced the work of his team of researchers at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, Mass. Persons with perfect pitch were found to have a region in the left hemisphere of the brain, the plenum temporale, to be enlarged. However, it was also necessary that to have perfect pitch, a person must be exposed to music before age 10 years. Failing that, having an enlarged plenum temporale does not of itself normally coincide with having perfect pitch later.


Earth Science History
In 1966, three days after its takeoff, the unmanned Soviet Luna 9 spacecraft landed safely on the moon in the Ocean of Storms. It was the first ever soft landing on another celestial body, and opened the way for manned trips to the moon, by removing doubts lest the surface was an unsafe dusty quicksand. On striking the surface, the Soviet probe ejected a 250-lb capsule which then rolled upright and unfolded four spring actuated petals to steady itself. A TV camera with a revolving mirror system enabled Luna 9 to take pictures, including panoramic views of the lunar landscape and closer views of nearby rocks, which were transmitted back to earth until 6 Feb when the batteries ran out and contact with the spacecraft was lost.


Physics History
In 1932, the "neutron" was described in an article in the journal Nature by its discoverer, James Chadwick, who coined the name for this neutral particle he discovered present in the nucleus of atoms. He was an English physicist who studied at Cambridge, and in Berlin under Geiger, then worked at the Cavendish Laboratory with Ernest Rutherford, where he investigated the structure of the atom. He worked on the scattering of alpha particles and on nuclear disintegration. By bombarding beryllium with alpha particles, Chadwick discovered the neutron for which he received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1935. He led the UK's work on the atomic bomb in WW II, and was knighted in 1945.


Chemistry History
In 1886, German chemist, Clement Winkler discovered the element germanium. He had a background in managing a cobalt glassworks and then on the faculty of the Freiberg School of Mining, when he discovered germanium in the mineral argyrodite. Analyzing the silver sulphide ore, he found that all the known elements it contained amounted to only 93 per cent of its weight. Tracking down the remaining 7 per cent, he found the new element he called germanium (for Germany). This turned out to be the eka-silicon predicted by Dmitry I. Mendeleyev in 1871.


Quote
The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind.  - Khalil Gibran

January Science Newsletter

Happy New Year! 
 
All of us here at Capital Microscope hope the new semester has started strong for you.

Now is a good time to explore our expanded product line which includes everything from microscopes, digital cameras, glassware, lab tools, and lab equipment. Contact us to help you find the right products for you laboratory experiments.

And don't forget to schedule a time for us to come service and clean your microscope.

Visit our website at Capital Microscope to find all your laboratory needs. Or email me directly to let me assist you in finding the best items at the best price.

We are proud to be your science equipment source. Contact us when we can assist you in making science exciting and meaningful for your students.

Featured Products

Electrophoresis Classroom Kit 
The new horizontal electrophoresis apparatus by Walter Products was designed with safety and convenience in mind.
The injection-molded  UV transparent chamber is made from thick acrylic, making it durable and leak-proof while the lid fits securely in place and can easily be removed.  All of Walter's electrophoresis units feature adjustable leveling feet, recessed electrical wires, and a safety stop that prevents the gel from running when the cover is not securely fitted.  Each casting tray with embossed gel ruler has rubber end caps and multiple slots for easy and versatile comb placement.
Our Price: $349
List Price: $454

Swift SM102 Stereo Microscope
The New SM102 Series has all these Standard  features. Locked-on eyepieces and one touch stage clips assure that the parts remain on the scope Slip-clutch system protects against over-focusing Unique" C-wrench gives user sole control over focus tension Built-in Handle to encourage proper handling Cord-hanger allows for safe and hassle- free cord storage. Reversible black& white and frosted stage plates are included. Interlocked eyepiece tubes with diopter for increased focus acuity.  Side Magnification Changer  Eyeshields can be used on eyepieces to reduce ambient light.  Swift Optical Limited Lifetime Warranty covers defective parts and workmanship for the life of the instrument. Five Light setting combinations are energy-efficient LEDs which provide bright, white light, with virtually no heat.
Our Price: $327.25
List Price: $385.00

January Science History Tidbits

General Science History
In 1957, the Wham-O Company developed the first frisbee; a representative of the company got the idea for the product when he saw some truck drivers from the Frisbee Pie Co. of Connecticut showing Yale students how to throw pie pans in the air.

Biology History
In 1998, scientists announced the identification for the first time of a key brain chemical related to nicotine addiction, in the journal Nature. The researchers worked at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and the research arm of Glaxo-Wellcome in Geneva. The addictive nature of nicotine is related to release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter chemical in the brain. The scientists had found the first of 11 subunits, or molecules, of the nicotine receptor in the brain of mice. Mutant mice lacking the b2 subunit in their brains did not react to nicotine. Humans have the same so-called b2 subunit. This is a step toward to designing a drug to block the receptor, and produce new smoking-cessation drugs.

Earth Science History
In 1610, Galileo dated his first letter describing telescopic observations in which he saw the moon's cratered surface using his twenty-powered spyglass. He wrote, "... it is seen that the Moon is most evidently not at all of an even, smooth, and regular surface, as a great many people believe of it and of the other heavenly bodies, but on the contrary it is rough and unequal. In short it is shown to be such that sane reasoning cannot conclude otherwise than that it is full of prominences and cavities similar, but much larger, to the mountains and valleys spread over the Earth's surface." Galileo went on to describe the phenomena in considerable detail, rehearsing, as it were, the observations and conclusions he was to publish more elaborately a few months later in Sidereus Nuncius.

Physics History
In 1930, the element Fr (francium) was discovered, the last naturally occurring element to be found. It is the heaviest alkali metal atom, with atomic number 87. Marguerite Perey joined (Oct 1929) the Institut du Radium in Paris in Oct 1929 as a technician for Marie Curie. Perey worked for years on actinium, which was anticpated to produce the new element by alpha decay. Finally, she was able to make the first entry about francium in her lab notebook on 7 Jan 1939, recording its half-life as about 20 minutes. A note in the Comptes Rendus was presented at the Académie des Sciences by Jean Perrin (9 Jan 1939). In his periodic table, Mendeleev anticipated its discovery, and provisionally named it eka-cesium. Perey gave it the name "francium." She first used the symbol Fa, but changed it to Fr.

Chemistry History
In 1941, the commercial production of magnesium first began in the U.S. at Freeport, Texas. Magnesium, the lightest of all structural elements, was extracted from seawater through an electrolytic process. Herbert H. Dow first extracted the metal from brine in Midland, Michigan, in 1916. Dow's Freeport magnesium plant played a key role during WW II when the lightweight metal became a critical alloy for airplanes. U.S. military aircraft production escalated, and as much as 2,000 pounds of magnesium was needed per plane. Today, magnesium alloys are die cast into a variety of automotive components. On 20 Nov 1998, Dow Chemical Co. announced it would shut down production at Freeport due to crippling damage during severe Gulf Coast storms.

Quote
Only the curious will learn and only the resolute overcome the obstacles to learning. The quest quotient has always excited me more than the intelligence quotient.
- Eugene S. Wilson