Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
1917 in science
open-in-new
<h2 id="biology">Biology</h2> <ul><li>September 3 – French-Canadian microbiologist <a href="/facts/F%25C3%25A9lix_d%2527H%25C3%25A9relle/6UHsbA9q">Félix d'Hérelle</a>, working at the <a href="/facts/Pasteur_Institute/2wW6k7hf">Pasteur Institute</a> in Paris, announces his discovery of a <a href="/facts/Bacteriophage/L2Ll0T3q">bacteriophage</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/D%2527Arcy_Wentworth_Thompson/gjTsQzJ5">D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson</a>'s <i><a href="/facts/On_Growth_and_Form/SE9CwNTp">On Growth and Form</a></i> is published.</li></ul> <h2 id="mathematics">Mathematics</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Paul_Ehrenfest/Q3Q7hXeJ">Paul Ehrenfest</a> gives a conditional principle for a three-dimensional space.</li></ul> <h2 id="medicine">Medicine</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Shinobu_Ishihara/PNo0kgbm">Shinobu Ishihara</a> publishes his <a href="/facts/Color_perception_test/6mpKRe9w">color perception test</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Julius_Wagner-Jauregg/FF7xWxbu">Julius Wagner-Jauregg</a> discovers <a href="/facts/Malaria/rN3g58CX">malarial</a> <a href="/facts/Pyrotherapy/F90I6owm">pyrotherapy</a> for <a href="/facts/General_paresis_of_the_insane/13JmXKbz">general paresis of the insane</a>.</li></ul> <h2 id="physics">Physics</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Albert_Einstein/CNTet8qu">Albert Einstein</a> introduces the idea of <a href="/facts/Laser/jk6PTvvT">stimulated radiation emission</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Nuclear_fission/LfkIylvm">Nuclear fission</a>: <a href="/facts/Ernest_Rutherford/hjjMEskl">Ernest Rutherford</a> (at the <a href="/facts/Victoria_University_of_Manchester/foAk3n6c">Victoria University of Manchester</a>) achieves <a href="/facts/Nuclear_transmutation/MjlvjsV6">nuclear transmutation</a> of nitrogen into oxygen, using alpha particles directed at nitrogen 14N + α → 17O + p, the first observation of a <a href="/facts/Nuclear_reaction/202yClUr">nuclear reaction</a>, in which he also discovers and names the <a href="/facts/Proton/clCjepXP">proton</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a></li></ul> <h2 id="technology">Technology</h2> <ul><li>September 13 – Release in the United States of the first film made in <a href="/facts/Technicolor/cjULMcyR">Technicolor</a> System 1, a two-color process, <i><a href="/facts/The_Gulf_Between_(1917_film)/UyLRGXkn">The Gulf Between</a></i>.</li> <li>Alvin D. and <a href="/facts/Kelvin_Keech/cyfrMR92">Kelvin Keech</a> introduce the "banjulele-banjo", an early form of the <a href="/facts/Banjolele/XTMnqsJv">banjolele</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Gilbert_Vernam/J95jC0ER">Gilbert Vernam</a> jointly reinvents the <a href="/facts/One-time_pad/03hA9XSQ">one-time pad</a> <a href="/facts/Encryption/16q29Fdv">encryption</a> system.</li></ul> <h2 id="awards">Awards</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Nobel_Prize/3z1Y3oFL">Nobel Prize</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Nobel_Prize_in_Physics/o6w1nCbr">Physics</a> – <a href="/facts/Charles_Glover_Barkla/tU7ypwWt">Charles Glover Barkla</a> (announced 12 November 1918; presented 1 June 1920)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Nobel_Prize_in_Chemistry/8Nb8Ajjy">Chemistry</a> – not awarded</li> <li><a href="/facts/Nobel_Prize_in_Physiology_or_Medicine/rlnpJX84">Medicine</a> – not awarded</li></ul></li></ul> <h2 id="births">Births</h2> <ul><li>January 19 – <a href="/facts/Graham_Higman/No1VbFyq">Graham Higman</a> (died <a href="/facts/2008_in_science/NLKwU0lC">2008</a>), English <a href="/facts/Mathematician/eaFSR8Fx">mathematician</a>.</li> <li>January 25 – <a href="/facts/Ilya_Prigogine/m5PNqoWp">Ilya Prigogine</a> (died <a href="/facts/2003_in_science/DEzE438Y">2003</a>), Russian-born winner of the <a href="/facts/Nobel_Prize_in_Chemistry/8Nb8Ajjy">Nobel Prize in Chemistry</a>.</li> <li>February 14 – <a href="/facts/Herbert_A._Hauptman/jsgIhcvg">Herbert A. Hauptman</a> (died <a href="/facts/2011_in_science/wT16UWvG">2011</a>), American mathematical <a href="/facts/Biophysicist/l9u5gqCy">biophysicist</a>, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.</li> <li>March 23 – <a href="/facts/Howard_McKern/MX07dmJ6">Howard McKern</a> (died <a href="/facts/2009_in_science/m9t2hRa2">2009</a>), Australian <a href="/facts/Analytical_chemistry/MHQf3YP6">analytical</a> and <a href="/facts/Organic_chemist/djxhxaNg">organic chemist</a>.</li> <li>March 24 – <a href="/facts/John_Kendrew/KwWW3Kul">John Kendrew</a> (died <a href="/facts/1997_in_science/2lj8b7UK">1997</a>), English <a href="/facts/Molecular_biologist/YgqU35ub">molecular biologist</a>, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.</li> <li>April 10 – <a href="/facts/Robert_Burns_Woodward/bAQeInCb">Robert Burns Woodward</a> (died <a href="/facts/1979_in_science/0DcRyAFw">1979</a>), American organic chemist, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.</li> <li>April 18 – <a href="/facts/Brian_Harold_Mason/aEMq9rQK">Brian Harold Mason</a> (died <a href="/facts/2009_in_science/m9t2hRa2">2009</a>), New Zealand-born <a href="/facts/Geochemist/05094gDu">geochemist</a> and <a href="/facts/Mineralogist/MeIK9lx9">mineralogist</a> who was one of the pioneers in the study of <a href="/facts/Meteorites/NsmHlBlX">meteorites</a>.</li> <li>May 14 – <a href="/facts/W._T._Tutte/8VbfbzU6">W. T. Tutte</a> (died <a href="/facts/2002_in_science/LP4lLXeB">2002</a>), English-born mathematician and <a href="/facts/Cryptanalyst/7CPEQlJI">cryptanalyst</a>.</li> <li>June 1 – <a href="/facts/William_S._Knowles/KIIqB7h5">William S. Knowles</a> (died <a href="/facts/2012_in_science/LJKMAdSd">2012</a>), American winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.</li> <li>June 2 – <a href="/facts/Heinz_Sielmann/KsqpaeqJ">Heinz Sielmann</a> (died <a href="/facts/2006_in_science/0vs4BdRx">2006</a>), German zoological filmmaker.</li> <li>June 15 – <a href="/facts/John_Fenn_(chemist)/3mg8sEp9">John Fenn</a> (died <a href="/facts/2010_in_science/8YFfjV39">2010</a>), American analytical chemist, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.</li> <li>July 1 – <a href="/facts/Humphry_Osmond/JwJvB1rm">Humphry Osmond</a> (died <a href="/facts/2004_in_science/Hv6XlPBW">2004</a>), English-born <a href="/facts/Psychiatrist/hS7EnAU6">psychiatrist</a>.</li> <li>July 15 – <a href="/facts/Walter_S._Graf/9YMYzIlR">Walter S. Graf</a> (died <a href="/facts/2015_in_science/ztLIsTpJ">2015</a>), American <a href="/facts/Cardiologist/KCeWn418">cardiologist</a> and pioneer of <a href="/facts/Paramedics_in_the_United_States/XFaznGfK">paramedic</a> <a href="/facts/Emergency_medical_services/K1uGpEH0">emergency medical services</a>.</li> <li>July 22 – <a href="/facts/H._Boyd_Woodruff/2mvv5T5K">H. Boyd Woodruff</a> (died <a href="/facts/2017_in_science/qFe0XI9H">2017</a>), American <a href="/facts/Microbiologist/cqEyJwNK">microbiologist</a>.</li> <li>August 21 – <a href="/facts/Xu_Shunshou/FYp07F7K">Xu Shunshou</a> (died <a href="/facts/1968_in_science/M8FtD5wF">1968</a>), Chinese <a href="/facts/Aeronautical_engineer/2Ib02w7f">aeronautical engineer</a>.</li> <li>September 23 – <a href="/facts/Asima_Chatterjee/yLDrAGa0">Asima Chatterjee</a>, née Mookerjee (died <a href="/facts/2006_in_science/0vs4BdRx">2006</a>), <a href="/facts/Indian_people/S30UyveY">Indian</a> <a href="/facts/Organic_chemist/djxhxaNg">organic chemist</a>.</li> <li>October 2 – <a href="/facts/Christian_de_Duve/TXWTc77v">Christian de Duve</a> (died <a href="/facts/2013_in_science/WueRPaAd">2013</a>), English-born <a href="/facts/Belgians/xSmHFHch">Belgian</a> <a href="/facts/Biologist/yJJGXyKR">biologist</a>, winner of the <a href="/facts/Nobel_Prize_in_Physiology_or_Medicine/rlnpJX84">Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine</a></li> <li>October 8 – <a href="/facts/Rodney_Robert_Porter/lc8YTUBE">Rodney Porter</a> (died <a href="/facts/1985_in_science/uwrMxH5k">1985</a>), English <a href="/facts/Biochemist/gAWNAY5v">biochemist</a>, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.</li> <li>November 22 – <a href="/facts/Andrew_Huxley/DzFkDD4W">Andrew Huxley</a> (died <a href="/facts/2012_in_science/LJKMAdSd">2012</a>), English winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.</li> <li>December 9 – <a href="/facts/James_Rainwater/2sVh3yJV">James Rainwater</a> (died <a href="/facts/1986_in_the_United_States/ro0zopyF">1986</a>), American winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics.</li> <li>December 16 – <a href="/facts/Arthur_C._Clarke/2XJ6UGDB">Arthur C. Clarke</a> (died <a href="/facts/2008_in_science/NLKwU0lC">2008</a>), English-born science fiction author and inventor.</li> <li>December 20 – <a href="/facts/David_Bohm/c43gKR8Q">David Bohm</a> (died <a href="/facts/1992_in_science/puY1hQq9">1992</a>), American-born theoretical physicist, philosopher and neuropsychologist.</li></ul> <h2 id="deaths">Deaths</h2> <ul><li>February 11 – <a href="/facts/Laura_Forster/xKmSy3TN">Laura Forster</a> (born <a href="/facts/1858_in_science/bxUykk1b">1858</a>), <a href="/facts/Australians/hCxBM7cd">Australian</a> <a href="/facts/Physician/qJ3woFvG">physician</a>, died on war service.</li> <li>March 8 – <a href="/facts/Ferdinand_von_Zeppelin/MMdIRHvh">Ferdinand von Zeppelin</a> (born <a href="/facts/1838_in_science/rynCmVy0">1838</a>), German founder of the <a href="/facts/Zeppelin/rGu4K3Tv">Zeppelin</a> <a href="/facts/Airship/8X3TSBdx">airship</a> company.</li> <li>March 31 – <a href="/facts/Emil_von_Behring/bk06nMKy">Emil von Behring</a> (born <a href="/facts/1854_in_science/jsrGlvtb">1854</a>), German physiologist, winner of the <a href="/facts/Nobel_Prize_in_Physiology_or_Medicine/rlnpJX84">Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine</a> in <a href="/facts/1901_in_science/PbHMXfG4">1901</a>.</li> <li>July 27 – <a href="/facts/Emil_Theodor_Kocher/qNMc7ryq">Emil Theodor Kocher</a> (born <a href="/facts/1841_in_science/pdkoaQcg">1841</a>), <a href="/facts/Swiss_people/3ecWX2K6">Swiss</a> surgeon, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in <a href="/facts/1909_in_science/9XtDzVts">1909</a>.</li> <li>August 3 – <a href="/facts/Ferdinand_Georg_Frobenius/4cXXQyu5">Ferdinand Georg Frobenius</a> (born <a href="/facts/1849_in_science/mmaQsEug">1849</a>), German <a href="/facts/Mathematician/eaFSR8Fx">mathematician</a>.</li> <li>December 17 – <a href="/facts/Elizabeth_Garrett_Anderson/hLGsLmxJ">Elizabeth Garrett Anderson</a> (born <a href="/facts/1836_in_science/nb0FPxUj">1836</a>), English physician.</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>d'Hérelle, F. (1917). "Sur un microbe invisible antagoniste des bacilles dysentériques" (PDF). Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences de Paris. 165: 373–5. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2011-05-11. Retrieved 2010-09-05. <a href="http://202.114.65.51/fzjx/wsw/wswfzjs/pdf/1917p157.pdf" target="_blank">http://202.114.65.51/fzjx/wsw/wswfzjs/pdf/1917p157.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Ishihara, S. (1917). Tests for Colour-Blindness. Handaya, Tokyo: Hongo Harukicho. <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Brewerton, Emma (2016-12-12). "Ernest Rutherford". New Zealand History. Retrieved 2017-06-16. <a href="http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/people/ernest-rutherford" target="_blank">http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/people/ernest-rutherford</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>