50 Years Ago

  1. A photo of Stonehenge at sunset
    Archaeology

    50 years ago, Stonehenge’s purpose mystified scientists. It still does

    In 1972, scientists thought Stonehenge may have been a calendar. Today, we still don’t know its purpose, but we have gained insight on its origin.

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  2. Oil from the Deepwater Horizon disaster floats atop the Gulf of Mexico
    Earth

    50 years ago, scientists found a new way to clean up oil spills

    In the 1970s, researchers added chemicals to the list of oil spill cleanup methods. Soon, they may add microbes.

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  3. Image of Pangaea
    Earth

    50 years ago, scientists dug into Pangaea’s past lives

    In 1972, scientists wondered whether Pangaea was Earth’s only supercontinent. Fifty years later, we know it wasn’t the first and it won’t be the last.

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  4. an illustration of the internal structure of a proton
    Particle Physics

    50 years ago, physicists got a whiff of what glues together protons

    In 1972, particle smashups hinted at the gluon, which we now know not only holds together the innards of the proton, but also makes up more than a third of its mass.

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  5. Yeast DNA transcription
    Tech

    50 years ago, genes eluded electron microscopes

    In the 1970s, scientists dreamed of seeing genes under the microscope. Fifty years later, powerful new tools are helping to make that dream come true.

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  6. In 2019, scientists found a way to store human livers for more than a day at subzero temperatures without the organs freezing (shown). The technique could eventually help ease the shortage of donor organs, saving thousands of lives.
    Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, scientists hoped freezing donor organs would boost transplants

    In the 1970s, biologists hoped to freeze organs so more could last long enough to be transplanted. Scientists are now starting to manage this feat.

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  7. an illustration of a dinosaur skeleton partly buried by debris
    Paleontology

    50 years ago, the dinosaurs’ demise was still a mystery 

    In 1972, scientists blamed dinosaur biology for the reptiles’ demise. Years later, researchers ID’d the real killer: an apocalyptic asteroid.

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  8. an illustratiion of a molten Earth's core
    Earth

    50 years ago, a new theory of Earth’s core began solidifying

    In 1972, scientists proposed that Earth’s core formed as the planet came together. Fifty years later, that theory is generally accepted, though many mysteries about the core remain.

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  9. a photo of juvenile electrioc eels in water
    Animals

    50 years ago, eels’ navigation skills electrified scientists

    Excerpt from the June 24, 1972 issue of Science News

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  10. Astronaut Donald Slayton embraces cosmonaut Aleksey Leonov
    Space

    50 years ago, the United States and Soviet Union joined forces for science

    In 1972, U.S. and Soviet leaders agreed to work together on science. Now, Russia’s war in Ukraine is straining that decades-long partnership.

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  11. a photo of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope scanning the night sky with the Milky Way overhead
    Space

    50 years ago, scientists had hints of a planet beyond Pluto

    In 1972, calculations from Halley’s comet offered evidence of another planet. Today’s astronomers are still searching for a Planet Nine.

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  12. a photo of a hand scratching red scaly skin on a person's elbow. Only the person's torso and arms are in frame.
    Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, scientists were seeking the cause of psoriasis

    In the 1970s, scientists found a link between a chemical messenger and psoriasis, a complex inflammatory skin disorder.

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