What are Laboratories?

Any laboratory is a place where scientists must carry out experimental study in any branch of science for the purpose to advance men's knowledge or to apply scientific principles in testing, analyses and special application of natural laws. The word' "laboratory" denotes any room or building where men are to carry out investigation in tech­niques and sciences.

The word 'laboratory' can also denote the work-room of a chemist, or a testing-room of an industry.

In early days people called the place for chemical work simply a workshop to make drugs. Later' chemists had to use the workshops to make chemical substances for the me­tallurgical industry or textiles, home life¹ and so on.

Among the laboratories of the world we may note the laboratory of the Royal Institution of Britain established in 1800 and devoted to the applied sciences.² The laboratory soon became the seat of activity where such great scientists as M. Faraday and J. Tyndall might conduct research in pure sciences.³

Nowadays laboratories have to be introduced into educa­tional institutions to teach scientific and technical know­ledge by means of experiments. New laboratories will have to provide for more departments for research in pure sciences and for application of science to industrial purposes where skilful industrial workers, engineers and scientists will be able to carry on their important work.

In a chemical laboratory one can see different gases, including illuminating gas, oxygen and hydrogen kept in heavy tanks under high pressure and laboratory tables with one or two holes in them connected to the suction fan for carrying off fumes and gases as well. Besides in a chemical laboratory there are many bottles with reagents, test-tubes, spirit lamps, filter paper and necessary chemicals. In such laboratories students study density, viscosity, vapour pres­sure and other properties of materials. They also carry out scientific experiments including the study of chemical and physical processes.

In other laboratories one can see different types of in­stallations, such as for boiling, cooling and condensing water, for freezing different materials, for growing crystals of diamond, garnet, etc. The materials used in such labora­tories are coal, oil, gas, compressed air and other working bodies.

In some laboratories electronic computers are being worked out.

Notes

¹ home life — быт

² applied sciences — прикладные науки

³ pure sciences — фундаментальные науки

A Long Way to Go

Astronomy is almost certainly the oldest of all the scienc­es. Since his beginning, man has gazed up at the stars and wondered what they should be and why they are there. He has even attempted to discover his destiny by observing them. Although most of early man's ideas about the Uni­verse seem comical nowadays, many ancient civilizations achieved a remarkable understanding of astronomy. They not only deduced that the Earth revolves round the Sun, but also measured the distance between them. In particular, the Greeks made very accurate measurements of the posi­tions and apparent movements of the stars, and the star catalogue produced by Hipparchus in 150 B.C.¹ was not improved until the 16th century.

The Chinese, too, had a well-developed knowledge of astronomy. In 1054 A.D.,² they recorded a spectacular cos­mic event - the explosion of a star, which became so bright that it could be seen during the day for several months. The remnants of this event might have formed one of the most beautiful and still one of the most studied objects in the sky, the Crab Nebula.³

One of the tragedies of astronomy is that after the great discoveries made by many of the ancient civilizations, much of the knowledge seems to have been lost for many centuries. The fact that the Earth is round was known to the Greeks, but it took the great voyages of Christopher Columbus in the 15th century to prove it all over again. Even the Greeks didn't get it all right, however. Ptolemy, who, unfortunately, was held in high regard,⁴ placed the Earth and not the Sun at the centre of everything and it was not until the 16th century, in fact, that Copernicus proved once and for all⁵ that some of the earliest astronom­ers had been right the first time.

Man had by this time put a great deal of effort into ob­serving the Universe. But the beginning of modern astron­omy really had to wait until the early 17th century, when Galileo built his first small telescope and was able to catch a glimpse of the true depth and mystery of the Universe.

Notes

¹ B.C. = Before Christ — до нашей эры

² A. D. = Anno Domini — нашей эры

³ Crab Nebula — созвездие Рака

⁴ to be hold in high regard — пользоваться уважением

⁵ once and for all — навсегда

***

A little over sixty years ago, on January 28, 1902 And­rew Carnegie founded what was to become a new kind of institution for America: the first to be devoted wholly to fundamental research over wide fronts of science, in the most completely basic aspect.

The Carnegie Institution of Washington was established specifically to encourage, in the broadest and most liberal manner, investigation research and discovery and the appli­cation of knowledge to the improvements of mankind.

The scientists in the Departments of the Institution have no commitment except to carry on research; they are not required to teach; they choose their own fields of in­vestigation.

Carnegie Institution scientists in the last sixty years have made far-ranging major contributions to knowledge in almost every field of science. They have been pioneers in opening areas.

At present, Carnegie Institution's interests are mainly in three broad fields: 1) the form, contents and dynamics of the universe; 2) the structure and evolution of the earth; and 3) the frontiers of biology. Work in these pioneering areas is being carried on in six research centres operated by the Institution and by individual scientists and research teams.