First "modern"
seismograph is invented
Mackenzie

       












       As international communications have improved, scientists and researchers have been able to share information concerning earthquakes and earthquake science.  Three of the most influential scientists of this time are James Elfred Ewing, Thomas Gray, and John Milne.  These British colleagues founded the Seismological Society of Japan, making it the first seismological society in the world.  Milne was asked to head the organization but has decided to edit and write for its journal.  This society now funds seismograph research and inventions.
       
      

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        Milne, Gray, and Ewing have now invented a simple horizontal pendulum seismograph.  This machine can record the vibrations that accompany sudden movement along fault lines in the earth.  By looking at the P waves and S waves recorded during an earthquake, scientists can determine the distance of a quake's epicenter from the measuring station.  In layman's terms, a seismograph is used to record the vibrations given off during an earthquake so researchers can determine where exactly the earthquake originated from.  Milne's invention also allows him to determine the velocities of earthquakes.  This machine is the most accurate seismograph that has been invented.
       While Professor John Milne is accredited to inventing this first "modern" seismograph, the first ever seismograph was invented by Zhang Heng in 132 AD in China.  In this original seismograph, a copper ball is located inside the structure.  There are eight dragon heads representing eight different directions located around the seismograph with eight toad heads directly beneath each one.  During an earthquake, the ball would fall out of one of the dragon's heads into the corresponding toad, allowing Heng to know from which direction the earthquake came from.

Sir Humphrey Davy invents 'Davy lamp'
Mackenzie

       












       After returning from his European tour along with his new wife, Jan Apreece, and his assistant, Michael Faraday, Sir Humphrey Davy continued his research at the Royal Institution at Great Britain.  He was presented with a case by a group of coal miners who were concerned with the increasing dangers of working closely with poisonous gases in the mines.  The demand for coal has sharply increased recently due to the usage of railroads, steam engines, and other equipment that relies on coal.  One of the biggest hazards to coal miners is exposure to a gas called "fire damp", which is emitted by coal seams.  

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This gas is highly flammable and could be ignited by the candles carried by miners.  As of a few years ago, explosions caused by fire damp had become very frequent and the death count is now in the hundreds every year.      
       Davy has completely redesigned and upgraded the miner's lamps using wire gauze wrapped around the cylinder.  The heat that is distributed by the candle in the center of the lamp is reduced by the gauze so that it remains lower than the combustion level for methane.  This keeps the flame inside the lantern despite the presence of gases in the mines.  When these dangerous gases are present, the flame reaches higher and gives off a bluish tint.  This revolutionary technology allows the lamp to be used as a warning signal for the miners.
       Davy has not patented his new invention, and now George Stephenson is claiming to be inventor of the newest mining lamp.  Stephenson's model is covered with glass instead of gauze, which allows for more light to shine through.  While Stephenson's lamp provides more light, Davy's lamp is considered much safer.

Sir Charles Lyell Creates a New Theory
Chance

         Yesterday, the British geologist Sir
Charles Lyell makes the news! Sir Charles Lyell accepts the theory of evolution.
He wanted to express his belief in the idea originally thought of by Charles
Darwin. He did it by expressing the widely thought of being false theory of
evolution. Sir Charles Lyell once had a professional law career after studying
law in college.    
                
Then he remembers he wanted to start his science career. Early in his career he had many innovative and bold claims. One of theses he said was a strong belief in uniformitarism (the belief that
geological forces have been working the same way since the creation of
the
  Earth.) He has recently helped the claim that the universe is billions
of years
  old. He has boldly supported the ideas of Charles Darwin. Together they are
contradicting the widely
accepted beliefs today.

Then he remembers he wanted to start his
science career. Early in his career he had many innovative and bold claims. One
of theses he said was a strong belief in uniformitarism (the belief that
geological forces have been working the same way since the creation of the
  Earth.) He has recently helped the claim that the universe is billions of years
  old. He has boldly supported the ideas of Charles Darwin. Together they are contradicting the widely
accepted beliefs today.


 Darwin
and Lyell together can help change the current theories of the Earth, solar
system, and even the entire universe. Each of their respected claims helps their
other claims grow that much stronger. Even though the evidence puts them in a
position be right many people do not approve of theses claims and the evidence.
People claim that these bold claims are lies, and this is not truly what science
as about. When asked how he handles the criticism he responds “I handle it
well.” Most people to this day accept the old claim of catastrophism; people still look to religion to answer many questions. People
are now making fun of Charles Darwin’s and Sir Charles Lyell’s claims but they
still support them anyway. Sir Charles Lyell’s work can lead to a new scientific
revolution. Will his theories eventually change science? Will people grow to
accept Lyell’s beliefs?

Thomas Edison's phonograph
Tiana

              




               





           The phonograph was developed after work on two other inventions, the telegraph and the telephone. In 1877, Edison was working on a machine that would catch telegraphic messages through imprints on paper tape, which could later be sent over the telegraph repeatedly. This development led Edison to figure that a telephone message could also be recorded in a similar way. He experimented with a diaphragm which had an embossing point and was held against rapidly-moving paraffin paper. The speaking vibrations made imprints in the paper. Edison later changed the paper to a metal cylinder with tin foil wrapped around it. The machine had two diaphragm and needle units, one for recording and one for playback. When one would speak into a mouthpiece the sound vibrations would be indented onto the cylinder by the recording needle in a vertical pattern. Edison gave a sketch of the machine to his mechanic, John to build, which he supposedly did in 30 hours. Edison tested the machine by speaking the nursery rhyme into the mouthpiece, "Mary had a little lamb." The machine played his words back to him.    
      

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        It was later stated that the date for this event was on August 12, 1877. Some historians believe that it probably happened months later, since Edison did not file for a patent until December 24, 1877. Also, the diary of one of Edison's aides, Charles Batchelor, confirms that the phonograph was not constructed until December 4, and finished two days later. The patent on the phonograph was issued on February 19, 1878. The invention was very original. The only other recorded evidence of an invention was in a paper by French scientist Charles Cros, writtenon April 18, 1877. There were some differences between the two men's ideas, and Cros's work remained only a theory since he didnt produce a working model of it.
       Edison took his new invention to the offices of Scientific American in New York City and showed it to the staff there. The December 22, 1877 issue reported, "Mr. Thomas A. Edison recently came into this office, placed a little machine on our desk, turned a crank, and the machine inquired as to our health, asked how we liked the phonograph, informed us that it was very well, and bid us a cordial good night." Interest was great, and the invention was reported in several New York newspapers, and later in other American newspapers and magazines.
       The Edison Speaking Phonograph Company was established on January 24, 1878, to misuse the new machine by exhibiting it. Edison received $10,000 for the manufacturing and sales rights and 20% of the profits. As a novelty, the machine was an instant success but was difficult to operate except by experts.  The tin foil would last for only a few playings.

Karl Benz Creates A Car!
Chance       

       Karl Benz began selling his car to the public yesterday. Karl Benz was born in Baden Muenhlburg, Germany in 1885. His car will help German citizens pride and the Germany economy. German citizens often brag that this engineer by the name a Karl Benz is from their country. Karl Benz attended Polytechnic University as a student. When reporters asked Benz why he wanted to build a car he simply said “my dad was an engineer and I wanted to follow in his footsteps and leave my legacy.” 

Then the father of automobiles remembered back to his old business partner Augustus Ritter, and how they used to sell building supplies.  Ben wanted to leave his good friend and the business to try to build engines for a more suitable income. He recalls his first patent in 1879 on his very first engine. He then recalled his new business, selling industrial engines. He then designed the car a three wheeled vehicle. The car had it all Benz said an engine, a water cooling system and different gears. When we asked him what his future plans was he said “to retire and leave the company to my son.”  His son has expressed wanting to form the Daimler-Benz company.

Flood in Yellow River
Maya

       Flooding has always been an issue in China. However in 1887 there was a major flood in the Yellow River. High rain fall caused this terrible flood that kill 900,000. The Yellow river is locally known as the Huanghe river, because of the about of silt it carries. There were dykes built on both sides of the river to prevent flooding that would destroy farmlands but they just weren’t strong enough for the mass amounts of water. Directly outside of the river were peasant and who lived and survived only off their farm land, once it was destroyed they had nothing to their names. This flood submerged 5,000 square miles of land in water, leaving two million people homeless and hundreds of villages destroyed. After the flood the natives started to refer to the river as “The River of Sorrow” for obvious reasons. Since the river was more silt filled than the average river it was heavier, therefore it made it easier for the water to climb the dykes. The Yellow river flood in 1887 was the worst flood in Chinese history.

Mount Tambora volcano
Maya

       On April 10th 1815 Mount Tambora Volcano on Sumbawa Island in Indonesia produced the largest eruption in the history of volcanic eruptions. Ash covered everything within 1,300 kilometers of the volcano. Shortly after the eruption scientist discovered that Mount Tambora had been an active volcano since 1812, slowly but surely building up ash. So when it finally erupted there was enough Ash and smoke to hide the sun from the Sumbawa Island in Indonesia; so much so that they didn’t see a summer that year.

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Editorials

Thomas Edison's phonograph
Lighting the way for future scientists
Mackenzie

       While most people attribute the invention of the incandescent electric light bulb to Thomas Edison, the reality is that he just improved on an already existing idea.  Edison's light bulb was much more practical for home use and was implemented in houses, stores, companies, and all sorts of buildings worldwide.  He had to invent seven new components to add to the light bulb to create an electric light that would last for over thirteen hours.  However, this wasn't even Edison's most valuable contribution to society.  He single-handedly developed the electric industry and the first electric power station.
       In 1882, the first commercial power station, located on Pearl Street in Manhattan, began emitting light and electricity to people within a one mile radius.  This power plant was revolutionary, burning only a third of the coal of its predecessors.  Eventually demand for electric motors encouraged the company to provide 24-hour lighting instead of just nighttime electricity.  It was at a power station built in Brockton, Massachusetts in 1883 that Edison and his workers created the first underground wire system.  This was developed due to complaints that power lines running through the city would be unsightly.  Developers used this underground electric cable system well into the 20th century.
       Thomas Edison revolutionized transportation and industry during the 1800s, and many of his concepts and creations are still in use today.  However, modern scientists and researchers are taking the abilities of household electricity to new heights with the fluorescent light bulb and LED lights.  Just as Edison improved on the idea of an incandescent light bulb, today's scientists are consistently improving on existing inventions and ideas.

Mt Tambora Volcano
The flaws in modern volcano safety
Mackenzie

       Because many people continue to live on and around active volcanoes despite the risks and dangers, there are many precautions that must be taken.  National Geographic advises people to keep goggles and a mask on hand at all times, as well as an emergency kit with a flashlight and a functional battery-operated radio.  Residents in volcanic areas are also warned that ash can damage car engines and other metal parts, so driving should be avoided if at all possible.  An advantage we have today is the history of the eruptions of many existing volcanoes, which can give us clues as to when they will erupt again.
       However, even with all of our modern technology, a volcano that is not under constant surveillance may give only 30 seconds warning before eruption.  Seismometers and remotes designed to detect ash and gas emissions are not always accurate.  On site evaluations are still the most effective (and most dangerous) method of determining the activity of a volcano.  Of course, even modern technology and safety equipment can only do so much in the face of an unpredictable natural disaster.  Hazardous gases, avalanches, limited visibility and warning times, as well as unpredictable eruptions are issues that we still face today.

Yellow River Flood
Flood safety then versus now
Tiana

       The Yellow River flood happened in 1887 and was called the Huang He flood and killed up to 2 million people. The Yellow River is China’s second longest river. The Yellow River's river bed is raised at the lower course, this is the reason I think that this river flooded so much. Although the 1887 flood didn't kill as many people as the 1931 flood, it still devastated China and had a great impact on life of people living close to the river, and life in China today. Floods today are monitored by the GFDS, or the Global Flood Detection System. They use real time satellite data to monitor whenever water levels rise rapidly. In the 1800s, the satellite wasn't even invented, so monitoring floods wasn't as easy as it is today. People probably didn't even know when a flood was coming, or even that a flood was near them so they had to do whatever they needed to survive. This is why so many people died in Yellow River floods. If the satellite was invented during the 1800s, a significant amount of lives could have been saved.