The History of Science Society

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Arizona State University Welcomes HSS to Phoenix

We are eager to welcome our HSS friends to the Phoenix meeting. Just for the record, we were surprised when Jay Malone reported that the HSS had decided to meet here, since the search process through the committees did not involve asking us. We were worried by the slightly dumpy hotel, a city hard to get around without a car, and a dead downtown. That was three years ago, and HA! we were so wrong.

Jay had checked things out, and knew that the hotel was to undergo renovations (it has), and that the city was to complete a light rail system (which it has, and it works great). And because of the light rail and a new downtown campus for Arizona State University, the area has come alive. By the time of the meeting, there will be a just-opened grocery store near the hotel, and new restaurants and other shops keep popping up. Continued . . .

Notes from the Inside

Updates from Jay Malone, the Society's Executive Director. This issue – moving and the Society's officers.

From the President

Jane Maienschein ponders the present and future of the History of Science Society.

First Person: Darwin, in a Different Voice

Historian of science Betty Smocovitis has spent the past academic year bringing Darwin to audiences across the U.S. She aims to leave listeners thinking a bit differently about evolution and its meaning over the last 150 years.

Workspace: John Lienhard and Engines of Ingenuity

John Lienhard's long-running history of science and technology radio program weaves together narrative and knowledge.

When Speaking as a Scientist is Not Enough: Leo Szilard on Playing with Dolphins

R. Scott Sheffield reflects on Leo Szilard’s allegory of science in "Voice of the Dolphins."

The Perils of Publicity

Darwin historians Peter Bowler, Janet Browne, and Sandra Herbert discuss their experiences with Fathom Media, producer of a documentary on Darwin. "The Voyage that Shook the World" both misrepresents their views on Darwin and challenges evolution.