Today, we honor George Washington Carver, whose pioneering research in crop rotation and sustainable farming transformed American agriculture and helped shape modern environmental science. 🥜 🌱 Shown here: Philatelic First Day Cover honoring Carver, issued on January 5, 1948.

En estos días en los que el juego y la infancia cobran especial protagonismo, cabe recordar esta fantástica exposición virtual del @sciencehistory.org sobre la historia de los sets de química para niños y niñas: artsandculture.google.com/story/scienc...

Applications for 2026-27 fellowships at @sciencehistory.org are still open until Jan 15, with recommendations due Jan 31! ⏰📚 Could your research benefit from time in our archives, rare books, instruments, and other collections? Find info about our fellowships and our guide for applicants here!

In Ecuador’s Los Cedros cloud forest, activists used the country’s constitutional “rights of nature” law to stop mining. A landmark 2021 ruling protected the forest—but the fight isn’t over. Read the latest #Distillations story from @scribblingsam.bsky.social here ⬇️

Henry Moseley, the English physicist whose X-ray spectroscopy experiments led to a reorganization of the #PeriodicTable, was born #OnThisDay in 1887. He later died in the Battle of Gallipoli. More via @sciencehistory.org: www.sciencehistory.org/stories/maga... #histSTM #physics #chemistry #WWI 🗃️📜

In the 1970s, paramedic units were illegal in the United States. One (very bad) television show, Emergency!, set out to change that—and saved tens of thousands of lives in the process. Episode below! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t... @sciencehistory.org sciencehistory.org/stories/disa...

A 1700s book on color experiments reveals a vibrant magenta stain, likely from cochineal dye. Modern dyers confirm cochineal-alum makes a similar magenta. Read our latest Collections Blog post, as this stain tells the story of how New World ingredients transformed Old World dyes. ⬇️

Judith Kaplan's case study focuses on Science in American Life, an exhibit that opened in 1994 at the National Museum of American History. As she notes, the exhibit's stakeholders (e.g., curators, donors, the public) had different goals--commemoration, historical educ., sci. literacy, etc. #HSS2025

Smith uses @sciencehistory.org's upcoming exhibit on fireworks (Flash! Bang! Boom!) to highlight many themes familiar to historians of science (e.g., links b/w military & civilian tech; advances in mat. sci & mfg., the creation of safety standards) www.sciencehistory.org/visit/exhibi... #HSS2025 🎆

He was a brilliant ornithologist—and a spy so colorful that James Bond was based on him. Richard Meinertzhagen was also a liar and a thief, and perpetrated the biggest fraud in biology history. Episode below! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t... @sciencehistory.org sciencehistory.org/stories/disa...

Glad to publish with @shacorg.bsky.social on the Chinese American Chemical Society and science diplomacy in the 1970s-80s Very grateful for the generous financial & research support of @sciencehistory.org www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

In the latest Distillations Magazine story, find out how a shady car battery additive called AD‑X2 sparked a showdown between the U.S. political and scientific establishments. @samkean.bsky.social ⬇️ www.sciencehistory.org/stories/maga...

Rectangle pizza gets a bad wrap, but it did win @sciencehistory.org's School Lunch Bracket! (This contest was held in connection w/the Institute's exhibit, Lunchtime: The History of Science on the School Food Tray, open until Jan. 2026 www.sciencehistory.org/visit/exhibi...) #histSTM #FoodHistory 🗃️

Taxonomy has an ugly history of naming species after despicable people—even Adolf Hitler. But taxonomists have resisted most efforts to change such names, for reasons both good and bad. Episode below! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t... @sciencehistory.org sciencehistory.org/stories/disa...

The Othmer Library is celebrating #Halloween 🎃! When our electric pencil sharpener broke, staff replaced it with a Mitsubishi KH-20 manual sharpener, which became a hit! Jahna Auerbach, our digital collections librarian, dressed up as the sharpener for Halloween, and the results are fantastic!

The eagle that made John James Audubon famous—the Bird of Washington—was a fraud. In fact, historians now know that much of Audubon’s legendary life was built on lies. Episode below! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t... @sciencehistory.org sciencehistory.org/stories/disa...

Claire Sabel discusses the gem trade in SE Asia & the way it was impacted by European traders 17-18c @uchicagopress.bsky.social @scarcerc.bsky.social @harunkucuk.bsky.social @univie.ac.at @nhmwien.bsky.social @sciencehistory.org @historyscience.bsky.social timetoeatthedogs.com/2025/10/27/g...

Check out my new environmental history of diaspora and empire through mules with @sciencehistory.org www.sciencehistory.org/stories/maga...

Absolutely delighted to announce that applications are now open for our 26-27 postdoc, dissertation, distinguished, and short-term fellowships at @sciencehistory.org! 📚 🎉 Details and application info on our website; questions welcome here! www.sciencehistory.org/about/news/a...

The Ig Nobel Prizes honor bizarre research that makes you laugh, then think—like this levitating frog. Some scientists despise them. But they benefit science in surprising ways. Episode below! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t... @scihistoryorg sciencehistory.org/stories/disa...

It's Nobel Prize week. Winning a Nobel is good—mostly. But laureates often go kooky and promote bizarre things like ESP, AIDS denialism, and worse. Psychologists now understand why. New podcast season starts today! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t... @scihistoryorg sciencehistory.org/stories/disa...

Older than most trees and survivors of 5 mass extinctions, horseshoe crabs now face threats from humans. While blue blood has been used to test medicine for decades, will new tech finally set them free? Find out more in our latest Distillations story, written by @jenniferweeks83.bsky.social ⬇️

A storied trove of documents, photos, and lab tools from the race to decipher DNA’s structure and function is finally being made public. https://scim.ag/47GNqze

Check out our feature in @science.org ⬇️ After bizarre journey, prized history of molecular biology archive finds new home | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

Science historians have a new resource they can tap to better understand the early days of molecular biology. The nonprofit @sciencehistory.org this week added the History of Molecular Biology Collection to its library of materials. cen.acs.org/biological-c... #chemsky 🧪

We are thrilled to announce that the @sciencehistory.org has acquired our incredible History of Microbiology Collection that we have proudly preserved for over 20 years. We couldn’t think of a better organization to pass this important collection to. www.sciencehistory.org/about/press/...

"It's up to us whether to worry about whether we're monsters or to celebrate uniqueness. And in the monster there is beauty." I got to chat with host Alexis Pedrick in the studio for the Distillations podcast at @sciencehistory.org. Listen now: 💙📚 🧪 🗃 #medieval #earlymodern #histsci #histmed #HAMH

Exciting news from my colleagues @sciencehistory.org! This archive documents the early history of #MolecularBiology & efforts to determine the structure of #DNA. @matthewcobb.bsky.social provides an overview of its contents & significance in the thread below. #histSTM #histsci #histbio #Molbio 🗃️📜🧬

News in the history of molecular biology. The Science History Institute in Philadelphia has acquired a huge archive of correspondence and other scientific material from the pioneers of molecular biology (Franklin, Klug, Perutz, Delbrück etc, with items from Crick and Watson, too). 1/n

*NEWS* @sciencehistory.org has acquired the History of Molecular Biology Collection from the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI). This unparalleled collection documents the race to identify DNA’s double-helix structure and other significant developments that formed the foundation of molecular biology.

🎉 On October 8, join us for A Marvelous Night of Minerals: An Earthly Matters Opening Celebration! Celebrate our new exhibition, Earthly Matters, with light bites, curator talks, rare books, mineral specimens, and more! This event FREE, but registration is required. www.sciencehistory.org/opening

🎙️NEW DISTILLATIONS PODCAST EPISODE🎙️⁠ ⁠ Producer Mariel Carr talks to science historian Luis Campos about his article “Strains of Andromeda,” and discusses how Michael Crichton’s novel and film shaped 1970s debates on recombinant DNA research. ⬇️

🚨🎙️ #Distillations Podcast is back with new episodes dropping weekly!⁠ In the latest episode, join us as we dive deep into the controversial origins of genetic engineering research.⁠ ⬇️⬇️⬇️ www.sciencehistory.org/stories/dist...

💥BOOM! BANG! POW!💥 It's First Friday: Gene-ius Quizzo!⁠ ⁠ 🦕 Are you a Jurassic Park superfan? Think you know your genetically modified villains and heroes? This Friday, August 1, join us at 6pm for a lively night of Quizzo!⁠ www.sciencehistory.org/visit/events...

Loved this article about Mary Engle Pennington, a scientist and "cold chain" pioneer who transformed the U.S. refrigeration industry via @sciencehistory.org www.sciencehistory.org/education/sc...

I'll put in a plug for my friends @sciencehistory.org, which is just a few blocks away from Independence Hall & the Liberty Bell. They recently opened an exhibition on the history of school lunches that looks like a lot of fun! www.sciencehistory.org/visit/exhibi... #histSTM #histsci

I’m in the final few days of my 3 month fellowship at the Science History Institute, Philadelphia. I have been researching the work of the chemist Elizabeth Fulhame who began her photochemical studies in 1780 Edinburgh and by 1798 was a corresponding member of the Philadelphia Chemical Society.

I wrote an article about the Gerson Therapy, and what it is about cancer and its history that attracts so many alternative treatments. For the @sciencehistory.org’s Distillations magazine www.sciencehistory.org/stories/maga...

🎉TOMORROW! ☔️ Rain or 🌞 shine! Meet us at 315 Chestnut Street for Curious Histories Fest! We'll have hands-on activities, tasty food, free ice cream, and family-friendly fun! PLUS, the first 100 visitors will receive a free lunchbox! See you there! ➡️ sciencehistory.org/fest

🚨New Google Arts & Culture Exhibit Alert We are thrilled to share "Mix, Crush, Shear: The Tools of Mechanochemistry" Created in collaboration with our amazing partners at @sciencehistory.org. Thank you for bringing this story to life! 🔗 artsandculture.google.com/story/mix-cr... #Mechanochemistry

Join us for our annual Curious Histories Fest this SATURDAY, 6/14, from 11 am - 3 pm! Explore the science of food with hands-on activities, talks, and tasty samples! 🥒🍪 First 100 guests get a FREE lunchbox! No registration needed! Learn more: sciencehistory.org/fest 🎊🎉

#Philadelphia #music #scicomm folks: the fab @charmingdisaster.bsky.social will be performing at the Science History Institute (my last lovely US book tour venue) on July 23rd! @sciencehistory.org Get tickets here (& catch their musical interludes of some episodes of @peculiarbookclub.bsky.social!)

Touring @sciencehistory.org ‘s expo on school lunches, whisked back to childhood by the sight of those milk boxes

✅ Proud to announce that our first Town Hall on Science & Higher Ed @sciencehistory.org was a success! 👏 Thank you @repmaryisaacson.com, @reprabb.bsky.social, @tarikforpa.bsky.social, & everyone who attended, for a thoughtful & engaging discussion!

Why did so many doctors and engineers enthusiastically embrace the Nazis? Vanity, opportunism, and pseudoscience. Listen now—and get a DISCOUNT PROMO CODE for my new book, Dinner with King Tut: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t... @scihistoryorg sciencehistory.org/stories/disa...

🐈 Check out our latest Collections Blog post "Here, Kitty, Kitty . . ." as our director of Library Services and Collections Blog coeditor, Gabriela Zoller, explores all the feline friends hiding in our collections.⁠ ⁠⬇️ www.sciencehistory.org/collections/...

Had a great visit to @sciencehistory.org in Philly today! I was especially fascinated by the display dedicated to Linus Pauling's work on sickle cell (centrifuge, gel rig, and drawings in photo 1), but the whole museum was packed full of great info about the history of (bio)chemistry.

It was one the largest epidemics in American history, resulting in 30,000 cases of paralysis. And it would be forgotten today if not for blues musicians who recorded the details in their songs. New podcast below! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t... @scihistoryorg sciencehistory.org/stories/disa...

🚨BIG NEWS🚨 In partnership with @sciencehistory.org, we are hosting a Town Hall on Science & Higher Education Policy. We're inviting fed & state reps of the Greater Philly Region to discuss what they can do to protect science & higher ed. JOIN US & RSVP HERE: www.eventbrite.com/e/philadelph...

✨🧫✨ A woman revolutionized biomedical research by introducing agar to the lab. Learn more about Fanny Angelina Hesse and her work in this brand new article by Corrado Nai on @sciencehistory.org. 👩‍🔬 👉 www.sciencehistory.org/education/sc... #biography #hiddenfigures #agar