biggest research job for defense used 150 scientists

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SCIENCE QUESTIONS 797 "In^my eleventh grade chemistry class the teacher encourages us to bring in outside subjects of interest. "Somehow we got into a discussion of why flowers are taken out of a sickroom at night. Between us, we managed to give a few plausible an- swers, but most of them were not entirely satisfactory. "Therefore, I am writing you for the scientific reason for removing flowers from sick rooms." Answer by Dr. Franklin J. Bacon, Professor of Botany, Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (Elected to the GQRA, No. 409). Actually, when they are in the light, as a result of their photosynthetic action, plants give off oxygen and take in carbon dioxide. In the dark they take in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide. In the daylight the balance is in favor of oxygen and in the night in favor of carbon dioxide. However, unless the room is very small and the plant large, the effect of the plant upon the composition of the air is very small. ANCIENT EGYPTIANS AND THE SIMPLE MACHINES 935. From THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE, October, 1941. Study the Color Plates of "Daily Life in Ancient Egypt" (pp. 436-514), and see what mechanical devices were used by the Ancient Egyptians. What "simple machines" were known to the Egyptians? GQRANEW MEMBERSNovember, 1941 408. Harold Wm. Baker, James Ford Rhodes High School, Cleveland, ’Ohio 409. Dr. Franklin J. Bacon, Professor of Botany, Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio JOIN THE GQRA! BIGGEST RESEARCH JOB FOR DEFENSE USED 150 SCIENTISTS One of the most extensive jobs of scientific research in the defense effort took 150 different physicists from 25 different universities to the Massa- chusetts Institute of Technology^ Radiation Laboratory to work on "a highly confidential and important subject with the greatest possible speed," President James Bryant Conant of Harvard, Chairman of the National Defense Research Committee, revealed in a phonographically recorded message sent to the "Science and the New World Order" conference of the British Association for the Advancement of Science in London. Approximately 1000 scientists are at work for the NDRC in universi- ties and 700 in industrial laboratories, Dr. Conant said. Three-quarters of the most distinguished research physicists of the nation are now at work on war problems, he added, and the remaining 25% will be at work in a few months. "We have found that the nature of the problems in this present war are such that physicists and certain types of engineers are in greater demand than chemists." Dr. Conant gave no hint as to just what secret weapon was developed by the large group of scientists working at M.I.T.

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SCIENCE QUESTIONS 797

"In^my eleventh grade chemistry class the teacher encourages us tobring in outside subjects of interest."Somehow we got into a discussion of why flowers are taken out of a

sickroom at night. Between us, we managed to give a few plausible an-swers, but most of them were not entirely satisfactory.

"Therefore, I am writing you for the scientific reason for removingflowers from sick rooms."

Answer by Dr. Franklin J. Bacon, Professor of Botany, Western ReserveUniversity, Cleveland, Ohio (Elected to the GQRA, No. 409).

Actually, when they are in the light, as a result of their photosyntheticaction, plants give off oxygen and take in carbon dioxide. In the dark theytake in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide. In the daylight the balance isin favor of oxygen and in the night in favor of carbon dioxide. However,unless the room is very small and the plant large, the effect of the plantupon the composition of the air is very small.

ANCIENT EGYPTIANS AND THE SIMPLE MACHINES935. From THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE, October,

1941.Study the Color Plates of "Daily Life in Ancient Egypt" (pp. 436-514),

and see what mechanical devices were used by the Ancient Egyptians.What "simple machines" were known to the Egyptians?

GQRA�NEW MEMBERS�November, 1941

408. Harold Wm. Baker, James Ford Rhodes High School, Cleveland,’Ohio

409. Dr. Franklin J. Bacon, Professor of Botany, Western ReserveUniversity, Cleveland, Ohio

JOIN THE GQRA!

BIGGEST RESEARCH JOB FOR DEFENSEUSED 150 SCIENTISTS

One of the most extensive jobs of scientific research in the defense efforttook 150 different physicists from 25 different universities to the Massa-chusetts Institute of Technology^ Radiation Laboratory to work on "ahighly confidential and important subject with the greatest possible speed,"President James Bryant Conant of Harvard, Chairman of the NationalDefense Research Committee, revealed in a phonographically recordedmessage sent to the "Science and the New World Order" conference of theBritish Association for the Advancement of Science in London.

Approximately 1000 scientists are at work for the NDRC in universi-ties and 700 in industrial laboratories, Dr. Conant said. Three-quarters ofthe most distinguished research physicists of the nation are now at workon war problems, he added, and the remaining 25% will be at work in afew months."We have found that the nature of the problems in this present war are

such that physicists and certain types of engineers are in greater demandthan chemists."

Dr. Conant gave no hint as to just what secret weapon was developedby the large group of scientists working at M.I.T.