Bulletin and Proceedings 336 ABN 76 470 896 415 ISSN 1039-1843 June 2010
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The Royal Society of New South Wales Bulletin and Proceedings 336 ABN 76 470 896 415 ISSN 1039-1843 June 2010 Future Events 2010 Lecture 7 July 2010, Darlington Centre at 7pm Lectures in Sydney are held in Lecture Dr Fred Watson - Anglo Australian Observatory Room 1, Darlington Centre, University Pluto and the Ueber-nerds of Sydney at 7 pm on the first Wednesday of the month with drinks available from 6 pm. Wednesday 7 July 2010 at 7 pm Dr Fred Watson - Anglo Australian Observatory Pluto and the Ueber-nerds red Watson says he has spent so many years working in large Ftelescope domes that he has started to look like one. He is (see details at right) Astronomer in Charge of the Anglo-Australian Observatory at Coonabarabran, where his main scientific interest is gathering information on very large numbers of stars and galaxies. He Wednesday 4 August 2010 at 7 pm is also an adjunct professor at the Queensland University of Professor Peter Robinson Uni- Technology, the University of Southern Queensland, and James versity of Sydney Cook University. The Dynamic Brain: Modeling Sleep, Wake and Activity in r Watson is the author of “Stargazer the Working Brain D- the life and times of the telescope”, and is a regular broadcaster on ABC radio. His new book “Why is Uranus upside down?” is based on listener questions, and was published in October 2007 and Southern Highlands Branch won the 2008 Queensland Premier’s Meetings are held on the third Thursday Literary Prize for Science Writing. In of each month in the Drama Theatre at 2003, Fred received the David Allen Prize Frensham School, Mittagong (enter off for communicating astronomy to the Waverley Parade), at 6.30pm. public, and in 2006 was the winner of the Australian Government Eureka Prize next talk for Promoting Understanding of Science. Thursday 15 July 2010, at 6.30pm Fred has an asteroid named after him (5691 Fredwatson), but says that if it hits the Earth it won’t be his fault... Patrons of The Royal Society of NSW Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia Bulletin Editor, Bruce Welch Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO Governor of NSW RSNSW Bulletin and Proceedings 336 1 Lecture delivered for the Society’s 1181st Ordinary General Meet your new Councillors Meeting held on 2 June 2010 Dr Donald Hector Science for gentlemen: the Royal Society of NSW in the 19th century Dr Peter J Tyler, Historian, Royal Society of NSW he middle of the 19th century Twas a time of great change in NSW. Responsible government was introduced in 1856 and full manhood suffrage followed two years later. Queensland separated from NSW a year after that. And just 10 years after the introduction of responsible Dr Donald Hector is a chemical engineer government, Queen Victoria granted whose career has been in high- Royal Assent to the title of The Royal technology specialty chemical and Society of New South Wales. However, industrial companies. He runs a specialist as Dr Peter Tyler, the Society’s Historian, corporate advisory practice and is a non- explained in his lecture at the 1181st executive director on ASX-listed, private, ordinary general meeting on 2 June But by the 1860s, with Sydney having and not-for-profit boards. 2010, The Royal Society of NSW traces been formally declared a city (in its origins back to 1821 when The 1842), NSW having been granted Philosophical Society of Australasia responsible government, and the Dr Bruce Warren was formed. There were several early buoyant economic growth of the attempts to form such societies with period created an environment where mixed success but this should not interest in science, art, and literature understate the commitment of a group blossomed. The University of Sydney of progressives who wanted to see the was founded in 1854 and the time natural history, agriculture, and culture was right for a successful society to be of the nascent colony flourish. established. The Philosophical Society of Australasia Just six years after the granting of Queen was established under patronage of Victoria’s Royal Assent there were 122 the Governor, Sir Thomas Brisbane and members of the Society across a range of he also became its first President. The occupations – pastoralists, businessman, founding members included Major scientists, artists, lawyers, and the clergy Goulburn (the Colonial Secretary) – and by the 1890s there were nearly 500 Dr Bruce Warren M.B. B.S. D.Phil. D.Sc and Edward Wollstonecraft a wealthy members. In the latter half of the 19th (Oxford) was head of the Department of merchant and landowner at North century a number of eminent scientists Anatomical Pathology at Prince Henry Sydney. The purpose was to study the (Prof John Smith (physics and medicine), Hospital and Professor of Pathology in physical sciences and the mineralogy Prof Archibald Liversidge (geology the University of New South Wales from of NSW (which then, of course, included and chemistry), Sir Thomas Anderson 1980-1997. In these roles he developed what is now Queensland and Victoria). Stuart (physiology) were but a few). The an interest in multi-infarct dementia (i.e. The early society only lasted a year or Society’s transactions were published vascular dementia) and in Alzheimer’s so but there were other attempts to in a prestigious, peer-reviewed journal disease. stimulate more intellectual activities (which continues today) and attracted in the colony in the first part of the publications from such eminent 19th century. The first subscription scientists and engineers as Lawrence library was started by Wollstonecraft Hargrave. New Members in 1826 and between 1820 and 1850 The first 80 years of the society were ive new members were announced at other societies began, such as the colourful, strongly influenced by the Fthe June meeting of the Society: Agricultural Society (which lapsed for personalities of the time when NSW Peter Dowling- Full Member some years and then was re-established was finding its feet as a society. Dr Susan Richardson - Full Member in the 1850s), The Australian Society for Tyler’s work was made possible through Michael Cortie - Full Member the Encouragement of Arts, Science, his appointment as the inaugural Anthony Gordon - Full Member Commerce, and Agriculture (more Merewether Scholar of the State Library Michael Elsley - Associate Member commonly referred to as the Australian of NSW. Philosophical Society) but, like the early Philosophical Society, these early onald Hector We welcome them into the Society. groups generally did not thrive. D 2 RSNSW Bulletin and Proceedings 336 From the President in one part of the English-speaking between global temperature and carbon scientific world. There is obviously more dioxide concentrations. Warmings in that can be done also to develop links the industrial age have occurred in and professional relationships with 1860-1880, 1910-1940, and 1975-1998. other organisations, particularly in the However, carbon dioxide rise correlates non-English-speaking world, and I see only with the most recent warming. that as an additional long-term goal. I Industrial age coolings have occurred in also see this as a means of achieving an 1880-1910, 1940-1975 and 1998-present. increased awareness by others of the In all of these, carbon dioxide levels Society and its activities internationally. increased. In five of the six great ice ages, We cannot remain a small, unknown atmospheric carbon dioxide was up to regional organisation if we are to grow. 1000 times higher than today’s levels. During my absence the Society was ably Plimer showed from his data that the steered by Heinz Hora and Clive Wilmot warming effect of carbon dioxide on and I thank them for their efforts. the atmosphere is 1.5 degrees for the first 20 parts per million, but after that, ohn Hardie the concentration can be doubled J and quadrupled with no further effect. have recently returned from a month History shows that in times when the carbon dioxide levels were 100 times I in France and the UK and am pleased Southern Highlands Branch to report that I was able to take the the current levels, there was no global opportunity to call on the President of Report of May Meeting warming. Instead, there was glaciation. the Royal Society in London in order to Global Warming – The Missing The conclusions to be drawn from the pass on my good wishes and those of Science: Why I am sceptical of presented data are that current changes Members and Council. human-induced climate change in climate, sea level and ice are within Lord Rees was keen to hear of what we Dr Ian Plimer, Professor of Geology, University of natural variability. Climate has always are doing and expressed a wish to be Adelaide. Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences, been driven by the sun, the earth’s orbit kept informed of our future activities. University of Melbourne,Victoria and plate tectonics. Throughout it all, My principal interest in the meeting humans have thrived in warm times and he Southern Highlands Branch struggled in cool times. During a previous was to formally establish an ongoing meeting of 17 June 2010 was held at relationship between our Society and T warm period, the warmth was such 6.30pm in the Drama Theatre, Frensham that on Greenland, barley and wheat the Royal Society in London, and this School, Mittagong. On a crisp Highlands has now been achieved. He has also were grown, and the land supported evening, an audience of 86 people cattle and sheep. The hypothesis that expressed a wish to return to Australia assembled to hear Plimer’s lecture.