Science Milestones

This Week in Science History

Milestones in science, mathematics, and technology for the week of April 7th-April 13th

(AI composite image by Author)

“Everything is theoretically impossible, until it is done. One could write a history of science in reverse by assembling the solemn pronouncements of highest authority about what could not be done and could never happen.”
— Robert A. Heinlein (1907–1988)

This is the fourth in a new series we’re running in Science Spectrum called “Science Milestones.” Each week, we’re highlighting some of the extraordinary people and transformative accomplishments in science, mathematics, and technology over the centuries.

What Happened This Week in History

April 7

• 1795: France becomes the first nation to adopt the metre (meter) as the basic measure of length. It marks the first effort to establish a standard based on natural constants, in this case, the diameter of the Earth. By providing consistent and replicable units, it facilitated global scientific collaboration and commerce.

April 8

• 1732: American astronomer, inventor, clockmaker, and mathematician is born. Rittenhouse was a…