The skeleton belonged to a Neanderthal male, aged around 40, who lived nearly 60,000 years ago. This find was significant because compared to earlier skeletons, this one was nearly complete, allowing the opportunity to reconstruct the full anatomy of an ancient human species. It quickly became one of the most studied remains on the planet. Unfortunately, the initial interpretation was flawed, suggesting Neanderthals were a slow, stooped, and unintelligent species. Later research showed the individual suffered from severe arthritis at a late age, which distorted his posture. Healthy Neanderthals stood fully upright, walked much like modern humans, crafted sophisticated stone tools, controlled fire, hunted large animals, cared for injured members of their communities, and may have created symbolic art and buried their dead.

The discovery at La Chapelle-aux-Saints marked another step in one of science’s greatest revelations: humans are not separate from nature – we are part of it. Our story is intertwined with countless other species, including extinct human relatives that lived, hunted, and adapted alongside our ancestors. Rather than existing apart from the rest of life, we now understand that we are the product of millions of years of evolution, sharing a common ancestry not only with Neanderthals but with every living organism on Earth.

Another day, another discovery. Browse the On This Day Archive.

The post On This Day, August 3: Near Complete Neanderthal Skeleton Discovered appeared first on Missing the Forest for the Tree: A Worldview Grounded in Science.

Banting and Best were working in a laboratory at the University of Toronto under the guidance of J. R. Macleod, where for months they had been experimenting with extracts from the pancreas. They knew the pancreas contain a substance capable of regulating blood sugar, and after painstaking work, they succeeded in extracting insulin from a healthy dog to treat another dog with diabetes. The next step was to treat diabetes in humans. On January 11, 1922, a 14-year-old boy was the first person to receive and insulin injection to treat diabetes. After some initial adjustments and with the help of biochemist James Collip, the boys’ condition improved. Within a few years, insulin was being produced on a large scale, transforming diabetes from a fatal disease into a manageable condition.

By 1923, insulin was being used around the world and Banting and Macleod were awarded the Noble Prize in Physiology and Medicine. Banting shared his prize money with Best and Macleod shared his prize money with Collip, recognizing the collaborative process. More than a century later, insulin continues to save millions of lives every day. 

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The post On This Day, July 27: Insulin Isolated appeared first on Missing the Forest for the Tree: A Worldview Grounded in Science.

Before satellites, long distance communication relied on underwater cables and networks of land-based radio stations. Satellites orbiting high about the Earth provided a better engineering solution. Orbiting approximately 22,300 miles above the Earth’s surface, Syncom 2 was the second of three experimental satellites, however it had a special distinction. It was the first geosynchronous satellite, meaning it matched the Earths 24-hour orbit, allowing it to remain fixed over a specific location. Syncom 2 successfully transmitted telephone signals and other communications, demonstrating that satellite technology worked.

In 1963, President John F. Kennedy telephoned the Nigerian Prime Minister, Abubakar Balewa, in the first two-way call between heads of states by satellite. The success of Syncom 2 paved the way for all future satellite telecommunications including GPS, the internet, and global television broadcasting. Today we take all of these communications for granted, a reminder of how seamlessly integrated scientific advancements can become integrated into modern society.

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The post On This Day, July 26: Syncom 2 Launch appeared first on Missing the Forest for the Tree: A Worldview Grounded in Science.

Working at King’s College London in the early 1950s, Franklin used X-ray diffraction to produce some of the clearest images ever taken of the DNA molecule. The process was meticulous, involving precision in preparing the DNA, shining the X-rays through the DNA, recording the diffraction pattern, and interpreting the pattern mathematically. Among her images is the famous Photo-51 that provided vital mathematical clues that DNA is a double helix. This photo was shown to James Watson by Maurice Wilkins without Franklin’s knowledge or permission, and Watson and James Crick used the data to develop their double helix model. Initially her role discovering the structure of DNA was underappreciated, but it is now widely recognized that her research was vital to the discovery.

Franklin’s legacy extends beyond the discovery of the structure of DNA. Her work exemplifies the very essence of science: careful observation, rigorous experimentation, and letting the evidence speak for itself. Although her recognition came slowly, she now claims her rightful place among the pioneers of molecular biology.

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The post On This Day, July 25: Birth of Rosalind Franklin appeared first on Missing the Forest for the Tree: A Worldview Grounded in Science.

Bingham began his exploration in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. He was looking for the last capital city of the Incas, Vilcabamba, often called the Lost City of the Incas. Guided by locals, his expedition visited several Incan sites and he actually visited ruins near Vilcabamba however he failed to identify it as the Incan Capital. Continuing onward, Bringham eventually camped near the base of a steep, jungle covered mountain. On the morning of July 24, he began the steep and difficult climb where he was guided to an astonishing city of finely cut stones, hidden among the clouds. Before him stood Machu Picchu, however he mistakenly concluded that he had discovered Vilcabamba.

Over the following years, Bingham organized several more expeditions to map, excavate and photograph Machu Picchu. Beneath the think vegetation that had grown over the centuries were terraces, temples, plazas, and homes. It was an engineering marvel containing structures of precisely fitting stones without mortar, carefully designed terraces, and advanced agricultural and drainage systems. The site served as a royal estate for a few Incan Emperors, his court, priests, and servants that was visited seasonally. It was built around 1450 by the Emperor Pachacuti. The rediscovery of the site transformed our understanding of the Incas, preserving the sophistication of the civilization prior to European contact.

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The post On This Day, July 24: Machu Picchu Discovered appeared first on Missing the Forest for the Tree: A Worldview Grounded in Science.

Kepler-452b was discovered using data from NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope, which searches for planets by detecting the tiny dimming of a star’s light as the planet passes in front of it. This method has allowed astronomers identify thousands of exoplanets, revolutionizing our view and understanding of the universe. The planets is located in the constellation Cyngus and is approximately 1,800 light years away from Earth.  It is around 60% larger than our planet, has an orbital distance of 1.04 AU from it star, and completes one orbit every 385 days. It is currently unknown whether the planet has oceans, an atmosphere, or contains life. 

The discovery of Kepler-452b showed that our planet and our solar system is not an extraordinary exception. We now believe that across the Milky Way there are many stars with orbiting planets that could possess to conditions suitable for life. 

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The post On This Day, July 23: Earth-like Planet Kepler-452b Discovered appeared first on Missing the Forest for the Tree: A Worldview Grounded in Science.

Wiley Post began his journey from Floyd Bennett Field in New York on July 15. He piloted a Lockhead Vega airplane named Winnie Mae through eight countries and across two oceans before returning to New York on July 22. Solo flying meant that there was no co-piolet to assist with navigation, monitoring the airplane, or help out during potential emergency situations. 

His achievement was made possible by remarkable advances in science and technology. Radio communication, light-weight materials, improved aircraft engines, and more accurate navigational instruments allowed piolets to fly further and more safely than ever before. His flight proved that global flight was no longer an impossible adventure, but a practical reality. The ever-improving aviation technologies would lead to modern commercial air travel, connecting billions of people around the world.

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The post On This Day, July 22: First Worldwide Solo Flight appeared first on Missing the Forest for the Tree: A Worldview Grounded in Science.

The case drew nationwide attention in what became showdown between science and religion. Hundreds of journalist covered the courtroom proceedings and it become one of the first cases to be broadcast over the radio, fueling the national spectacle it was rapidly becoming. Arguing for the prosecution was William Jennings Bryan, a three-time presidential candidate and outspoken Christian fundamentalist. Clarence Darrow, a celebrated trial attorney with a passion for free inquiry, represented John Scopes.

Scopes was ultimately found guilty and fined $100, although the conviction was later reversed on a legal technicality. The Butler Law as eventually repealed by the state of Tennessee in 1967, and the following year the Supreme Court ruled that banning the teaching of evolution is unconstitutional. The verdict against John Scopes did not stop the progress of evolutionary science. Over the following century, discoveries in genetics, molecular biology, and paleontology provided overwhelming evidence for evolution, making it the foundation of modern biology.

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The post On This Day, July 21: Scopes Trial Verdict appeared first on Missing the Forest for the Tree: A Worldview Grounded in Science.

On July 20, 1969, the Apollo 11 mission achieved the impossible, landing the first humans on the Moons surface in one of the most remarkable accomplishments in human history. The journey to the Moon took the team of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins three days. As they entered the moon’s orbit, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin guided the Lunar Module Eagle down towards the moon, while Michael Collins stayed in orbit in the Command Module Columbia. The Eagle landed in the Sea of Tranquility with the words “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” A few hours later Neil Armstrong descended onto the lunar surface and spoke the famous words “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

The Apollo 11 mission represents one of the most remarkable scientific achievements in all of human history. It was the culmination of centuries of scientific discoveries – beginning with Newton’s Laws of motion and gravity to modern advancements in mathematics, physics, material science, computing, and rocket science. The Apollo 11 mission reminds us of what can be achieved through the remarkable power of the scientific method.

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The post On This Day, July 20: Apollo 11 Moon Landing appeared first on Missing the Forest for the Tree: A Worldview Grounded in Science.

On that day, the Navigation Technology Satellite-2 (NTS-2), recently launched from Vandenburg Air Force Base on June 23, 1977, successfully transmitted the first GPS signal from space. It was received at a building of the Rockwell-Collins company in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The successful test proved that highly accurate positioning could be achieved by combining precisely timed signals from multiple satellites. The satellites and technology were developed by the US Department of Defense for military operations. As with many technologies developed by the DoD, it gradually made its way into civilian use to transform everyday life.

The GPS system today contains a network of around 30 satellites orbiting roughly 12,500 miles above Earth. Each satellite continuously broadcasts its exact location and the precise time the signal was sent, using extremely accurate atomic clocks. A GPS receiver listens for signals from multiple satellites, and by measuring how long each signal takes to arrive, it calculates the distance. Using a mathematical process called triangulation, the receiver can determine the latitude, longitude and even the current time. The GPS system has become one of the most useful tools, demonstrating how fundamental discoveries in physics and engineering can reshape how the world moves.

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The post On This Day, July 19: First GPS Transmission appeared first on Missing the Forest for the Tree: A Worldview Grounded in Science.