I was today years old when I learned that scientists from the 17th century had their own form of "preprints" to lay claim to ideas before they got them officially published.

Galileo wrote in a letter to Kepler "Haec immatura a me iam frustra leguntur o.y.", in English "These are now too young to be read by me)".

*After* his work was formally published, he explained the anagram to Kepler:

"Cynthiae figuras aemulatur mater amorum" (The mother of love imitates the shape of Cynthia)

By sending the letter, Galileo could prove to Kepler and others that he had observed that Venus (mother of love) had phases like the moon (Cynthia), without giving Kepler a chance to scoop him before his own work was published.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phases_of_Venus

#HistoryOfScience #Astronomy #History #PrePrint #AcademicPublishing

On this day 45 years ago: touchdown of the first Space Shuttle Mission

April 14, 1981, Columbia (STS-1) lands on Rogers dry lake at Edwards Air Force Base in southern California to successfully complete a stay in space of more than two days.

https://flic.kr/p/2s7sXs9

#SpaceShuttle #STS1 #Columbia #space #science #history #HistoryOfScience #NASA #OTD #astrodon

How it started, how it's going

Left: Lunar Orbiter I, 1966
Right: Artemis II, 2026

https://flic.kr/p/8Grtp2
https://flic.kr/p/2s68RXM

#Moon #Earth #Earthset #Lunarorbiter #Artemis #Artemis2 #Orion #Integrity #OrionIntegrity #spacecraft #NASA #Moon #space #news #astrodon #lunar #flyby #lunarflyby #history #historyOfScience

If the #LeidenfrostEffect fascinates you as much as it does us, we highly recommend reading this review by Seán M. Stewart.

🔗 https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6404/ac3fed

Beyond a simple overview, this article traces the scientific history of the phenomenon, while providing a rich and detailed perspective on the dynamics of Leidenfrost droplets.

Enjoy the read!

#fluiddynamics #heattransfer #physics #HistoryOfScience

With HISTONETICA Education, we have developed an approach to making humanities research accessible to children and young people. By translating our relational research framework into age-appropriate educational formats, we provide a foundation for understanding how knowledge is constructed — and how information circulates, is connected, and produces meaning in contemporary digital environments.

https://www.histonetica.org/en/education_en/

#HistoryOfScience · #DigitalHumanities · #STS · #Education · #ScienceCommunication · #OpenScience · #MediaLiteracy