The Othmer Library is celebrating #Halloween 🎃! When our electric pencil sharpener broke, staff replaced it with a Mitsubishi KH-20 manual sharpener, which became a hit! Jahna Auerbach, our digital collections librarian, dressed up as the sharpener for Halloween, and the results are fantastic!

"We’re also actively digitizing the materials from the collection to provide free global access through our website,” said Michelle DiMeo, vice president of collections and programs and the Arnold Thackray Director of the Othmer Library.

A glass jar called a “desiccator” that removes moisture and humidity, and other historic artifacts used in Franklin and Gosling’s DNA experiments are also part of the collection.

In this collection: Franklin’s own copy of Photo 51, the groundbreaking image used to reveal DNA’s structure. Taken in 1952 by Franklin and her PhD student, Raymond Gosling, Photo 51 displayed the X-ray diffraction pattern of DNA and provided the clearest evidence that DNA is in fact a double helix.

The History of Molecular Biology Collection includes the papers of Nobel laureates Aaron Klug and Max Perutz, plus unique materials from other Nobelists and celebrated scientists, including Rosalind Franklin, Francis Crick, James Watson, Maurice Wilkins, and Linus Pauling.

📣 The Science History Institute is currently seeking a passionate and dedicated Philanthropy Manager to join our team!

Full Time 35+ hrs
Philadelphia, PA, US⁠
Salary Range:⁠
$75,000.00 To $75,000.00 Annually

Visit sciencehistory.org/careers to apply!

Thank you @bethlinker.bsky.social for this engaging and insightful talk about the history of America's obsession with posture in the 20th century. Learn more about our Science and Society speaker series on our website: sciencehistory.org/slouch

Thank you MIT Libraries for providing this original photo of the 1975 Asilomar Conference organizers: Maxine Singer, Norton Zinder, Sydney Brenner, and Paul Berg. To learn more about this historic meeting listen to our latest Distillations podcast episode: Science, Interrupted. ⬇️ rb.gy/j5uj8g

Indigo is a widely beloved dye, from ancient Mesopotamia to modern blue jeans. Its unique chemical properties led to intense competition for synthetic alternatives in the late 1800s, resulting in environmental challenges that still affect indigo-dyeing regions today.⁠

This day reminds us that diversity in science not only enhances the quality of scientific exploration but also ensures that the benefits of scientific advancements are more equitably distributed around the world.

Happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science! 🌍💫 At the Science History Institute, we celebrate the remarkable achievements of women in science who have shaped history and continue to inspire innovation! #ScienceHistory #WomenInScience

Henry Aaron Hill, born in St. Joseph, Missouri, was also known for founding National Polychemicals in 1952 to supply chemical intermediates to the burgeoning polymer-products industry for use in various polymerization processes.⁠

In celebration of #BlackHistoryMonth, we'd like to honor Dr. Henry Aaron Hill (1915–1979), who became the first Black president of the American Chemical Society in 1977. ⁠⬇️
www.sciencehistory.org/education/sc...

📣 Come work with us!

The Science History Institute is currently seeking dedicated and enthusiastic individuals to join our team. Here, we share the incredible stories that have helped shape the history of science and innovation.⁠ Tap here to apply ⬇️ sciencehistory.org/careers

Thank you to all of our collaborators for their continued work on this project, including Atkin Olshin Schade (AOS) Architects who provided the lobby renderings below.⁠