President Nixon signed National Environmental Policy Act into law
On Jan. 1, 1970, President Richard Nixon signed the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) into law and launched…
Agriculture | Disease | Environmental | USDA
The Southern Corn Leaf Blight swept across the South
In 1970, the Southern Corn Leaf Blight (SCLB) sweeps across the South, destroying 15% of the U.S. corn…
The National Communicable Disease Center was renamed the Center for Disease Control
In 1970, the National Communicable Disease Center (NCDC) was renamed the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The scope…
Agriculture | Biology | Chemical | Energy | Environmental | EPA | Forestry | Life Science History | Marine Science | U.S. Congress
A proposal to establish “Earth Day” was submitted to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
On Oct. 3, 1969, a proposal to establish “Earth Day” was submitted by John McConnell to Peter Tamaris…
Reorganization of federal health programs placed FDA in the Public Health Service
In March 1968, a reorganization of federal health programs placed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in…
Thermus aquaticus was first discovered in Yellowstone National Park
In 1966, Thermus aquaticus was first discovered in the Mushroom Pool of Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National…
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was founded
In 1965, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, now known as Battelle Pacific Northwest Division, was founded in 1965…
FDA requested help in removing “X-33 Water Repellent” from the market
On Aug. 30, 1964, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested help in removing “X-33 Water Repellent”…
Researchers collected a sample of boiling water from hot springs in Yellowstone leading to discovery of extremophiles
On Jun. 20, 1964, a team of researchers led by Dr. Thomas Brock, then a professor at the…
The University of California Radiation Laboratory (Livermore) established the biomedical program
In 1963, the first biomedical and environmental research program began at Livermore. John Gofman, a distinguished professor at…
Silent Spring was published and the first generation of environmentalists were galvanized
In 1962, Silent Spring, a book by marine biologist Rachel Carson, galvanized the first generation of environmentalists. Silent…
The Northern Grain Insects Research Laboratory was established
In Jun. 1960, the U.S. Congress passed an appropriations bill that included funding for a Federal Insect Laboratory…
Agriculture | Biology | Environmental | EPA | Forestry | Life Science History | USDA
USDA Forest Service Spayed DDT to Control spruce budworm in Oregon Forest
In Jul. 1955, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) sprayed DDT as…
The University of California Radiation Laboratory (Livermore) was founded
On Sept. 2, 1952, the University of California Radiation Laboratory, now known as the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory…
Diagnostics | Environmental | Life Science History | Medical Device | Non-Profit Research | Therapeutics
Founders day at The University of California Radiation Laboratory (Livermore)
On Aug. 26, 1952, Founders Day marks the date that Ernest Lawrence received permission to open up a…
The Veterans Administration conducted epidemiologic studies of black army veterans
In 1950, Roger M. Cole and Byron J. Olson in collaboration with Veterans Administration physicians conducted epidemiologic studies…
Dr. Isabella Aiona Abbot became the first Native Hawaiian woman to receive a doctoral degree in the field of science
In 1950, by the age of 31 Dr. Isabella Aiona Abbot had received a PhD in botany from…
Chemical | Dentistry | Diagnostics | Disease | Environmental | FDA | Life Science History | Therapeutics
fluoride First Used in U.S. Public water Supply
On Jan. 25, 1945, at 4:00 p.m., Grand Rapids, Michigan, achieved a historic milestone by becoming the inaugural…
Louis Schwartz and H. R. Foerster described industrial dermatitis and melanosis due to photosensitization
In 1939, Louis Schwartz and H. R. Foerster described industrial dermatitis and melanosis due to photosensitization.
Medical College of South Carolina researchers published artucle that linked brown lung disease (asbestosis) with cancer
In May 1935, Kenneth Lynch and William Atmar Smith from the Medical College of South Carolina published an…
Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory was founded
In 1928, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, grew from the work of Dr. John Johnson, a biology professor at…
Biology | Disease | Environmental | EPA | FDA | Life Science History | Neurology | U.S. Congress
William Mansfield Clark alerted the public to the dangers of tetraethyl lead in gasoline
In 1923, William Mansfield Clark from the U.S. Department of Agriculture alerted the public to the dangers of…
The first modern sewage plant, designed to treat sewage with bacteria, opens in Manchester, England
In 1914, the first modern sewage plant, designed to treat sewage with bacteria, opened in Manchester, England. There…
Earle B Phelps conducted series of studies on water pollution and the biochemistry of sewage and industrial wastes
In 1913, Earle B. Phelps in the Division of Chemistry conducted a series of studies on water pollution…
The word “allergen” first used in reference to allergic antibodies
In 1910, John F. Anderson and Wade H. Frost extended earlier studies on hypersensitivity and used for the…
Joseph H Kastle described the oxidases and other oxygen-catalysts concerned in biological oxidations
In 1910, Joseph H. Kastle published “The oxidases and other oxygen – catalysts concerned in biological oxidations.”
Flathead Lake Biological Station was established
In 1899, Flathead Lake Biological Station (FLBS) established near Bigfork in 1899 by Dr. Morton J. Elrod, Distinguished…
Thomas Caspar Gilchrist First Identified Blastomycosis
In 1894, Thomas Caspar Gilchrist from the University of Maryland first identified blastomycosis. Gilchrist initially believed the disease…
Francis Peyre Porcher published “Resources of the Southern Fields and Forests”
In 1863, Francis Peyre Porcher, a Confederate surgeon (Faculty, School of Medicine of the Medical College of the…
The U.S. Patent and Trade Office annual seed distribution exceeded 24 million packages of seeds
In 1861, the U.S. Patent and Trade Office (USPTO) annual seed distribution exceeded 2.4 million packages of seed…