Our April talk: Reinet Andrew started a life of trading, hunting and Pretoria Branch S2A3 News exploring. In 1825 he and Benjamin Kift travelled and March & April 2005 th traded widely north of the Orange River, visiting the Date: Wednesday, 6 April 2005 site where Kuruman was later founded. The next
A newsletter of the Pretoria Branch of the Southern year he and John B. Biddulph undertook an Africa Association for the Advancement of Science Time: 17h15 (to 18h15) expedition into Botswana and were the first Europeans to penetrate as far north as present Since a number of committee members, including Venue: Discovery Centre, Gabarone. In 1829 they set out overland for Natal, myself, will be away during March, we decided to University of Pretoria Main Campus and though forced to turn back by hostile locals they combine the March and April issues of the (Use the Prospect Street Entrance to the managed to return with a load of ivory. newsletter. Since 2005 has been declared the World campus. The Discovery Centre is in the He started his last hunting trip in August 1834, Year of Physics, it is appropriate to start this year’s large white building on the right of the travelling towards the Molopo River to procure live lectures with a historical perspective of the great animals and skins for American buyers. However, in work done in Physics in the early 1900’s. Our April road approx 100 m from the Prospect fleeing from an attack by a Matabele impi he lost his talk will be on Nutrition, where the factual basis of Street Entrance.) wagon and collections, and after considerable some common beliefs will be discussed. – Ed. hardship managed to return to Graaff Reinet in Speaker: Dr J Kotze December. He then joined the fighting in the Sixth Specialist food and nutrition consultant Our March talk: Frontier War of 1834 1835, attaining the rank of Captain. As reward, he received a farm near the Date: Wednesday, 2nd March 2005 Topic: Nutrition: Facts and Fiction present town of Alice, but following a change in British policy it was taken away again when the area Time: 17h15 (to 18h15) was returned to the Xhosa nation in October 1836. Refreshments will be served after the talk.
Bain’s popular writings Venue: Discovery Centre, Talk Summary University of Pretoria Main Campus Andrew was a keen observer, a good writer and The following nutritional questions will be addressed draughtsman, and endowed with a keen sense of (Use the Prospect Street Entrance to the in this very interesting and topical lecture: humour. He wrote accounts of his travels and of campus. The Discovery Centre is in the • Is saturated fat the cause of heart disease ? events in Graaff Reinet for two newspapers, the large white building on the right of the • What is the effect of trans-fatty acids on heart South African Commercial Advertiser in Cape Town road approx 100 m from the Prospect diseases ? and the Grahamstown Journal, signing them "an Street Entrance.) • What is the function of cholesterol in the body ? intelligent correspondent at Graaff Reinet". Thus he • Must we eat high-carbohydrate diets ? helped to disseminate knowledge about the interior Speaker: Prof J Boeyens of the country. Extraordinary professor, Chemistry In 1838 he combined his writing ability and Department, University of Pretoria. Andrew Geddes Bain (1795-1864): The shrewd humour to compose a burlesque, Kaatje father of South African geology. Kekkelbek; or, life among the Hottentots, which was
Topic: Quantum Personalities performed on stage in Grahamstown in November Cornelis Plug, [email protected] that year and subsequently published in various
newspapers. It was a satire on the philantropy of the Andrew G. Bain was born in May 1795 in Thurso, missionaries and as one of the earliest works in Refreshments will be served after the talk. Scotland. He was an only child, orphaned at a young Afrikaans became very popular. age, and received his schooling in Edinburgh. He Talk Summary came to the Cape in October 1816 and two years Building roads and passes At the centenary of Einstein's most productive year, later married Maria E. von Backstrom in Cape Town. that also provided a firm basis for quantum theory, Having acquired some experience of road building They had twelve children, including Thomas C.J. near Graaff Reinet, Bain was appointed as an many historians look back at subsequent Bain who followed in his father's footsteps as a road developments between 1905 and 1935. The debates assistant to the Royal Engineers to superintend the builder. construction of military roads on the frontier. The and personalities that featured in the process are often forgotten. Some incidents, rival theories and training that he received in this position, combined A life of adventure with his natural ability, made him into the best South the human side of events will be the topic of the After working for some time as a saddler in Graaff lecture. African road engineer of his time. A reorganisation of the Royal Engineers led to his studied by the paoaeontologist Richard Owen and 1855, while his son Thomas succeeded him as dismissal in 1845. Fortunately, by that time the Cape later purchased by the British Museum. Owen's Inspector of Roads for the Western Cape. Despite government had commenced the building of urgently descriptions were published in the museum's the nature of his work he managed to participate needed passes across the Cape mountains. Bain Catalogue of South African fossil reptiles in 1876. actively in public affairs. Thus around 1855 1860 he accepted an appointment as Inspector of Roads and The species Pareisaurus baini was named in Bain's served on the committee of the Albany Public started building Michell's Pass, near Ceres, in honour. Encouraged by the reception of his finds he Library; was a Justice of the Peace in Albany; served October 1845. The pass was opened in December continued his fossil hunting and sent further on the management committee of the Literary, 1848. The remainder of his career was devoted to shipments to England, including the first substantial Scientific and Medical Society of Grahamstown (as building and improving passes. An important collection of invertebrate remains from the Bokkeveld vice president for some years); was a member of the innovation that he perfected was the stacking of dry Group. first executive committee of the Eastern Province stone retaining walls to support the roadway along Agricultural Association; was a director of Cawood steep slopes. Some of these walls are still in good Father of South African geology and King's Mining Company; and in 1858 arranged condition after 150 years. Having discovered a Meanwhile he had started to compile the first the fossils of the Albany Museum. passage through the mountains between Wellington geological map of the Cape, complete with geological In 1860 he began his most ambitious project, the and the Breërivier Valley, now named Bain's Kloof, sections and a descriptive memoir. It was dispatched Katberg Pass, some 50 km long, over the Winterberg he built a long pass through it between 1849 and to the Geological Society of London in December range between Queenstown and Fort Beaufort. 1853 an impressive feat of engineering for which he 1851. Though necessarily incomplete and based on However, in 1863 heart problems forced him to take received public acclaim. some inaccurate observations his work represented leave before the work was completed. He went to an essential and important first step in unravelling the Britain in April 1864, where he was warmly received Fossil hunting complex succession of geological strata covering a by leading geologists and palaeontologists. Meanwhile his interest in rocks and fossils had been huge area. He was the first to determine the Returning to South Africa he died in Cape Town on aroused in 1837 by reading Charles Lyell's popular stratigraphic succession of what came to be known 20 October that year. and influentual Principles of geology. Further reading as the Cape Supergroup. It struck him that there confirmed his determination to apply geological and were no marine fossils in the Karoo rocks; hence he palaeontological knowledge in a personal study of hypothesized that they had been deposited in a great the rocks of the Cape – a spirit of enquiry that ruled freshwater lake and named them the Lacustrine What is the S2A3? the rest of his life. In 1838 he and his friend M. Formation. Though this view was accepted for many The S2A3 aims to stimulate a broad public interest in Borcherds found their first pieces of fossil bone near years, later research showed that the Karoo science and its applications, research, discoveries, Fort Beaufort. One or two days later Baine made his environment was deltaic rather than lacustrine. The history, ethics and philosophy. To do so, the S2A3 first important discovery just south of the town – a Geological Society, recognising the significance of arranges regular meetings, with speakers who are reptile skull with only two large teeth which he named his work, described it as "the triumphant results of both entertaining and knowledgeable, as well as field a bidental and which became famous as Dicynodon the single handed labours and unaided research of trips, excursions and other interesting events. – the dominant herbivorous mammal like reptiles of one who, by his own perseverance and talents alone, Being added to our e-mail address list is free. the Karoo era. has not only worked out so grand a geological Anyone wishing to receive S2A3 announcements via Around this time he submitted his first scientific problem, but has trained and wholly educated himself e-mail but who has difficulty using the listserver paper, "On the head of an ox found in the alluvial for the task". His memoir was published as "On the service, is welcome to send their address to: bands of the Modder [River], South Africa", which geology of southern Africa" in the society's [email protected] appeared in the Proceedings of the Geological Transactions for 1845–1856. Society of London for 1838–1842. The animal, an The description "Father of South African geology" extinct buffalo, was later named Bubalus baini. was first applied to Bain by E.L. Layard, Director of During the next six years Bain amassed a large the South African Museum, in 1857. This honorary Contributions to this newsletter collection of fossil reptiles. He exhibited them briefly appellation has been confirmed by many other will be greatly appreciated. Please forward any news in Grahamstown in 1844 but finding little support for prominent scientists since, including Selmar (in electronic format please – and less than 200 his work sent them to the Geological Society of Schönland (1893), E.H.L. Schwarz (1895), S.H. words) which might be of interest to members, London, where their importance was immediately Haughton (1964), and W.J. de Klerk (1997). It aptly whether scientific, professional or personal, to Walter recognised. Extracts from his letter to the society characterises his pioneering achievements in this Meyer [email protected]. were published in its Transactions, under the title "On field. Members are also strongly encouraged to make the discovery of the fossil remains of bidental and suggestions for potentially interesting speakers for other reptiles in South Africa". He even received His role in public life our monthly talks. some grants to continue his work. His collection was Bain was transferred to the Eastern Cape in about
Pretoria Branch S A News human occupation, wild animals, and later of The moon illusion – 2 3 domestic animals, also provide evidence that even unexplained after 23 centuries May & June 2005 seemingly small climatic changes had profound
effects on human and animal life in this country. Cornelis Plug, [email protected] A newsletter of the Pretoria Branch of the Southern These changes influenced the evolution of certain Africa Association for the Advancement of Science mammal species, as well as changes in animal When the full moon rises above the horizon it often sizes, and drove human technological development. appears larger than when it is higher in the sky. This Our May talk: phenomenon is known as the moon illusion. Similar illusions affect the rising or setting sun and even the th Our June talk: Date: Wednesday, 4 May 2005 constellations. The angular size of the moon does
not change appreciably with height, as can be shown Date: Wednesday, 1st June 2005 Time: 17h15 (to 18h15) by comparing its disc to that of the tip of one’s little
finger held at arm’s length. This informal experiment Time: 17h15 (to 18h15) will convince most people that the enlargement is Venue: Discovery Centre, apparent rather than real, but this conviction will not University of Pretoria Main Campus Venue: Discovery Centre, cause the illusion to disappear. (Use the Prospect Street Entrance to the University of Pretoria Main Campus Despite the best efforts of many early natural campus. The Discovery Centre is in the (Use the Prospect Street Entrance to the scientists, and later of psychologists, there is still no large white building on the right of the campus. The Discovery Centre is in the generally accepted explanation of the moon illusion, road approx 100 m from the Prospect although some popular explanations can be ruled large white building on the right of the Street Entrance.) out. road approx 100 m from the Prospect
Street Entrance.) Speaker: Ina Plug The moon illusion in antiquity
Research Fellow, UNISA The first known mention of the illusion in a scientific Speaker: Dan Jacobson work is by the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 CEO National Bioinformatics Network BC) in his book Meteorologica. Several other authors Topic: Past climate changes and human discussed the illusion in later classical times, habitation in southern Africa Topic: New frontiers in Biology: including the famous second-century astronomer
Bioinformatics leads the way Claudius Ptolemaeus (or Ptolemy). In China the illusion was mentioned by the astronomer Zhang Refreshments will be served after the talk. Heng (78-139 AD) and later authors. In the
Talk Summary Refreshments will be served after the talk. astronomical chapters of the official history of the Chin dynasty (265-420) the scholar Ge Hong argued South Africa’s climate is subject to three different about the moon illusion in words almost identical to weather systems. Fluctuations in the world’s climate, Talk Summary those used by Ptolemy, proving that scientific combined with the vagaries of these three systems, Bioinformatics is an exciting new discipline in South writings from the Middle East had reached China. have had a pronounced influence on human life and Africa and is the intersection between the fields of From antiquity to the present, numerous authors settlement in the subcontinent. Although information Biology, Computer Science, Mathematics and have contributed to the bewildering variety of is often sketchy and sometimes seemingly Statistics. possible explanations of the illusion. Some of these contradictory, together with archaeological evidence Biology has undergone a fundamental shift from had a surprisingly long life; partly as a result of the a clearer picture is emerging. The succession of ice a discipline that involved small, individual way scientific knowledge was transmitted from one ages during the Pleistocene epoch is very clearly experiments to one that now runs tens of thousands culture to another. visible in the glaciation history of the northern of experiments at a time in a single laboratory. hemisphere and the high mountains of the Andes. In This change in scope and scale has been made The literary tradition southern Africa, the effects of these ices ages are possible by the advent of Bioinformatics which During the early Middle Ages, when Arabic science much harder to detect, as we did not experience makes the use of computers to manage and analyze flourished, works by Ptolemy and other classical glaciation. Nevertheless evidence from the huge amounts of biological data. Bioinformatics authors were translated into Arabic. Arab scientists Drakensberg and the Lesotho highlands, drill cores made the Genome projects possible and is now the significantly expanded this knowledge. As far as the from marine, spring, marsh and meteor crater underpinning of studies that are intent on moon illusion is concerned, the most important of deposits provide tantalizing evidence of climatic understanding how all the components of a cell work them was the physicist Ibn al-Haytham (965-1039). fluctuations. In addition the variable distribution of in concert. When the relatively advanced state of Arabic science subtends the same angle. distance cues that bedeviled earlier experiments with came to be recognised in Western Europe during the This theory remained the most popular physical discs at various distances are eliminated. twelfth century, many Arabic works were translated explanation of the illusion to the mid-twentieth Several investigators have used such machines to into Latin. A book on optics by Ibn al-Haytham century. Investigators found that the sky does indeed test various theories. formed the basis of three Latin optical works (one of look more or less flattened to most people, and that them by Roger Bacon), written around 1270. As a the illusion is often enhanced by a distant and What does “looks larger” mean? result, his views played an important role in the detailed horizon scene. However, one finding After a great deal of experimentation and theorising scientific tradition of medieval Europe. Following the contradicted the theory: Most persons who the answer to a fundamental question remains decline of Latin as the language of science from experience an enlarged horizon moon claim that it controversial: Does the moon look physically larger about the seventeenth century the scientific literature looks closer, not further away, than when high in the on the horizon (more centimeters across), or developed to some extent independently in the major sky. angularly larger (covering a larger portion of the national languages of Western Europe. Hence, sky)? The answer is important because it determines during the twentieth century many papers on the The angle of regard how the perceived enlargement should be measured. moon illusion written in French or German were Another explanation that dates back to antiquity It would seem that both types of enlargement may be ignored by English speakers (especially in the US), claims that the act of looking upwards makes objects involved, but the answer one gets when questioning with the result that explanations were often re- seem smaller, therefore the elevated moon looks subjects who view either the natural illusion or a invented. smaller than the horizon moon. Around 1830 the simulation in the laboratory depends to a large extent famous mathematician K.F. Gauss suggested that on how the question is asked. It has gradually Atmospheric refraction this theory could be investigated by experimenting become clear, however, that the illusion often According to an explanation which started with with mirrors - looking at the elevated moon in a mirror involves apparent angular enlargement, a finding that Aristotle but was stated as a specific theory by at eye level, and at the horizon moon in an elevated should help to focus both future experiments and Ptolemy in the second century, the horizon moon is mirror. A number of experimenters followed these theorising. enlarged as a result of refraction by moisture in the suggestions, but found that results were affected by lower atmosphere, just as an object is enlarged when the perceived distance of the mirror. Various later Read all about it submerged in water. Such was the authority of laboratory experiments tested the effect of rolling the The complete story of the moon illusion is told in Ptolemy that this explanation remained influential eyes up or down, or moving the head, or tilting the Ross, H.E. and Plug, C. The mystery of the moon among scientists for some 15 centuries. It is still whole body, but found that size estimates were only illusion. Oxford University Press, 2002. uncritically accepted by many laypersons today. slightly affected. The main problem with the refraction theory is that it implies that the horizon enlargement is measurable A plethora of theories What is the S2A3? – but no such enlargement has been found by Many other theories have been proposed and The S2A3 aims to stimulate a broad public interest in meticulous measurements over many centuries of investigated. The explanatory mechanisms include science and its applications, research, discoveries, astronomical investigation. By the middle of the aerial perspective (lack of contrast in distant horizon history, ethics and philosophy. To do so, the S2A3 seventeenth century, most authors accepted such scenes), chromatic aberration in the lens of the eye; arranges regular meetings, with speakers who are measurements as proof that the theory is wrong. inappropriate focusing of the eye, involuntary both entertaining and knowledgeable, as well as field convergence of the eyes when looking upwards; trips, excursions and other interesting events. The flattened sky angular size contrast between the moon and Being added to our e-mail address list is free. Ibn al-Haytham was the first scientist of note to angularly small objects on the horizon, assimilation of Anyone wishing to receive S2A3 announcements via provide an explanation of the moon illusion in terms the moon’s perceived size to that of physically large e-mail but who has difficulty using the listserver of visual, rather than physical, processes. He argued objects on the horizon, lack of experience in viewing service, is welcome to send their address to: that the sky appears flattened, rather than distant objects high in the sky, and an effect of the [email protected] hemispherical, because the scenery between us and balance organs. the horizon causes the horizon sky to appear distant, whereas the lack of scenery causes the sky above us Experiments with moon machines Contributions to this newsletter to appear relatively near. Because the moon seems A major methodological advance in the study of the will be greatly appreciated. Please forward any news to be at the same distance as the sky around it, it too illusion was the design of the so-called “moon (in electronic format please – and less than 200 looks further away on the horizon. But as it subtends machine”in 1960. This is an optical apparatus that words) which might be of interest to members, the same angle (about half a degree) at all times, it displays one or more discs of light (representing the whether scientific, professional or personal, to Walter looks physically larger on the horizon - just as a moon) as if projected against the sky at different Meyer [email protected]. distant house looks larger than a nearby toy that heights. As the discs are at optical infinity the
social parasites. Both the genetic and the was formed by a single catastrophic flood, during Pretoria Branch S2A3 News pheromonal basis for the success of the social which a vast inland lake was emptied. The belief that August 2005 parasite will be explored. Its implications for the landscape is shaped by single catastrophic biodiversity of local populations will be explored as events was gradually replaced by the view that A newsletter of the Pretoria Branch of the Southern well as the evolution of social parasites in general. environmental changes occur slowly over long Africa Association for the Advancement of Science periods. However, the belief that there were recently great lakes in the interior of which Etosha Pan, Lake Our August talk: The rise and fall of Kalahari irrigation Ngami and the Makgadikgadi Pans are small schemes remnants, persisted for quite some time despite a Date: Wednesday, 3rd August 2005 lack of supporting evidence. Cornelis Plug, [email protected] Time: 17h15 (to 18h15) 3. Rainfall can be increased by preventing run- From 1918 to1946 there was great public off
enthusiasm for schemes to irrigate the Kalahari Ferdinand Gessert (1870-1953), a German colonist Venue: Discovery Centre (Sci-Enza), desert by diverting the Kunene, Chobe and and pioneer irrigation and livestock farmer in University of Pretoria Main Campus Okavango rivers. The idea was eventually rejected southern Namibia, believed that most of the rainfall (Use the Prospect Street Entrance to the as unworkable, but only after prolonged debate and over land represents moisture that has evaporated campus. The Discovery Centre is in the investigation. The schemes were based partly on from the land itself. Hence, if run-off is captured and large white building on the right of the three beliefs or assumptions, discussed below, stored in open dams, evaporation will increase and road approx 100 m from the Prospect which persisted for many decades mainly because a so will rainfall. He first published these ideas, which Street Entrance.) lack of reliable knowledge prevented their rejection. were partly based on the work of the German geographers Supan and Bruckner, in the German Speaker: Prof Robin Crewe 1. South Africa is drying up journal Globus in 1897. Although later studies of Vice Principal, University of Pretoria The view that the western interior of southern Africa atmospheric circulation above southern Africa is drying up was first published in 1851, in a letter to disproved Gessert’s key assumption, the belief that the Geographical Journal, by the British missionary rainfall could be increased by creating bodies of Topic: Social parasitism by Cape honeybee and explorer David Livingstone (1813-1873). He open water was uncritically but enthusiastically workers: understanding evolutionary reached this conclusion after visiting Lake Ngami in accepted by many. lotteries. 1849 (the first European to do so), mainly on the basis of anecdotal evidence supplied by the local Combining beliefs: The first Kalahari irrigation population. His subsequent pioneering travels scheme Refreshments will be served after the talk. through the Kalahari and regions to the north during Gessert put his money where his mouth is and
1849-1856 confirmed his view, which he expanded applied his theory on his farm by constructing dams Talk Summary in subsequent publications. Other authors soon to retain runoff. However, he also thought big and in In the early 1990's large numbers of Cape followed suit and in time the belief became almost his 1897 article proposed that building a dam in the honeybee colonies were introduced into Gauteng by universally accepted. Thus during 1913 and 1914 no Kunene River to divert its water into the Kalahari commercial beekeepers. As a result of this fewer than 41 letters from the public were published would lead to evaporative cooling of the land introduction, Cape honeybee workers invaded in the Agricultural Journal of SA in response to the breezes and increased humidity. In 1904 he colonies of local honeybees with devastating effects question, “Is South Africa drying up?”. All 41 writers published a more specific proposal in the same on the colonies of commercial beekeepers. The affirmed the progressive dessication of the country, journal. He argued that the interior of southern Africa question that arose was: why were workers of one though the perceived causes, in addition to declining was drying up; that the water of the upper Kunene race of honeybee invading the colonies of another rainfall, included the extraction of underground River in Angola could be diverted southwards into race of honeybee and leading to their destruction? water, veld burning, and deforestation. Later Etosha Pan; that the overflow of Etosha Pan could Since parasitism within a species is rare, it was analyses of rainfall figures have not supported the be channeled to Lake Ngami; that irrigation farming important to investigate the underlying causes of this belief that rainfall over the western interior has could be practiced along the newly created interesting natural experiment that was inadvertently declined during historical times. waterways; and that the introduction of the extra initiated by commercial beekeepers. water into the interior would increase its rainfall. The Genetic analysis of the social parasites has 2. Our inland lakes have disappeared German authorities rejected his proposal on the revealed that they all clones of a single individual When Livingstone first saw the Victoria Falls in 1855 grounds that the Kunene would have to be diverted with traits that make them particularly successful he speculated that the huge gorge below the falls in Angola, and that the main beneficiaries of the scheme would be the British who controlled the supported the scheme enthusiastically and admired What is the S2A3? Kalahari region. Schwarz for his breadth of vision. However, most The S2A3 aims to stimulate a broad public interest in scientists, including the Secretary of Irrigation F.E. science and its applications, research, discoveries, South Africans respond: The Schwarz scheme Kanthack, rejected the scheme, questioning the history, ethics and philosophy. To do so, the S2A3 As early as 1897 William Roe, a photographer in geographical assumptions on which it was based arranges regular meetings, with speakers who are Graaff Reinet, published an article on irrigation in the and claiming that its benefits were grossly both entertaining and knowledgeable, as well as Agricultural Journal of the Cape Colony in which he overestimated. In 1925 the government of the Union field trips, excursions and other interesting events. proposed that our inland lakes should be restored to of South Africa decided that the practicality of the Being added to our e-mail address list is free. prevent the further dessication of South Africa, scheme should be investigated by an expedition of Anyone wishing to receive S2A3 announcements via though he did not indicate how this should be done. the Department of Irrigation under the leadership of e-mail but who has difficulty using the listserver In 1910, in the same journal, J.A. van Zyl drew the eminent geologist Dr Alexander L. du Toit. The service, is welcome to send their address to: attention to Gessert’s scheme and proposed expedition visited the northern Kalahari from June to [email protected] diversion of not only the Kunene, but also the October that year to collect data pertaining to the Okavango River, the latter into Lake Ngami. Gessert eastern part of the proposed scheme and a number responded with an article of his own later that year. of alternative proposals. In the resulting report du Eight years later, the South African geologist Ernest Toit pointed out that many assumptions made by H.L. Schwarz (1873-1928) proposed a Schwarz with regard to declining rainfall, the recent S2A3 Website & List server comprehensive Kalahari irrigation scheme in an disappearance of large lakes in the Kalahari, the Visit our website at http://s2a3.up.ac.za. Any article in The Star of 31 January 1918. He followed climatic consequences of the scheme, the amount of comments or suggestions are welcome. this up with a paper read at the annual congress of water carried by the Chobe and other rivers, ground By subscribing to the S2A3 List server you will be S2A3 in July that year, and many other scientific and elevations, dry river courses and other geographical notified via e-mail of forthcoming popular scientific popular publications. An expanded and modified features, and the cost of the scheme, were either lectures and other events of interest presented by scheme was published in his book, The Kalahari, or wrong or could not be supported by available data. the S2A3. See http://s2a3.up.ac.za/ for more details. thirstland redemption, in 1920. The scheme was rejected as unworkable, although To join this list, send an e-mail message to Schwarz claimed that large permanent lakes had some minor irrigation schemes in the region [email protected], with the following existed at Etosha Pan, the Makgadikgadi Pans and appeared worthy of further investigation. command in the body of your message: Lake Ngami. He claimed that these had dried up Twenty years later the drought of 1943 – 1944 subscribe s2a3_announce
The speaker late 17th century. An important early work on the Pretoria Branch S2A3 News Dr Zeevaart holds a PhD from the Delft University topic was John Ray’s The wisdom of God as September 2005 of Technology (The Netherlands), and is manifested in the works of the creation (1691). Departmental head of the Radiochemistry Natural theology means using the study of nature to A newsletter of the Pretoria Branch of the Southern Department at NECSA. The scope of his work prove God’s existence and his goodness, and it Africa Association for the Advancement of Science includes development of new radiopharmaceutials stimulated interest in both science and comparative used in the treatment of secondary bone metastasis religion. The relevant data of natural theology are all Our September talk: and the application as radionuclides as in vivo the works of God in nature, that is, all natural
th biological tracers as well as the development of phenomena studied by science. Scientific research, Date: Wednesday, 7 September 2005 isotope production methods to exploit the use of the it was argued, demonstrates the design and order of SAFARI-I research reactor for commercial ends. creation, hence it cannot be in conflict with Time: 17h15 (to 18h15) He has a number of publications in international revelation and is in fact an appropriate religious journals as well as contributions to conferences. pursuit. The supporters of natural theology included Venue: Discovery Centre (Sci-Enza), prominent early scientists such as Isaac Newton and University of Pretoria Main Campus Robert Boyle. (Use the Prospect Street Entrance to the Please note: There will be no S2A3 talk in October. Natural theology arose at a time when there campus. The Discovery Centre is in the were no convincing scientific explanations of how large white building on the right of the the earth was formed and how plants and animals road approx 100 m from the Prospect The clergy in South African science came into being. Hence, the study of nature allowed much scope for divine intervention, in the form of Street Entrance.) Cornelis Plug, [email protected] either sudden creative acts (for example, the
Science as a profession became established mainly creation of specific life forms), or catastrophic natural Speaker: Dr Jan Rijn Zeevaart during the latter half of the 19th century. Before that events (during which landscapes such as mountain Head, Dept. Radiochemistry, NECSA time (and to some extent in later years) scientific ranges might be formed). These creationist views of research was often carried out by persons who were nature suffered a major setback with the publication Topic: What wrong with the bones, Holmes? largely self-trained. A surprising number of these of Charles Lyell’s Principles of geology (1833), in
were members of the clergy, of whom about 80 are which he argued convincingly that past geological known to have contributed to research in the natural Refreshments will be served after the talk. changes can best be explained by the gradual action sciences in southern Africa while many more were of natural processes such as erosion and deposition, Talk summary active in the study of ethnology and the indigenous rather than by catastrophic events. Hence, the need languages. Today there is little direct contact Contrary to popular belief, our skeleton is not a for miracles to explain geological changes between the natural sciences and religion. One dormant structure that keeps us upright and provides diminished. An even more severe setback for natural reason for this changed relationship is that today a the adhesion points for our muscles. It is in fact a theology occurred with the publication of Darwin’s much smaller proportion of university students Origin of species (1858) and later supporting very active and vital organ of the body that is th undergo religious training than during the 19 constantly being remodelled in a process of breaking literature. Darwin ascribed the origin of species century, when it was often combined with a variety down and rebuilding small sections at a time. As with (including humans) to gradual evolution, a natural of other subjects, including the sciences. However, a all physiological processes, things can also go wrong process that required no divine intervention. more fundamental reason why the clergy were with this harmonious equilibrium. This is Many theologians and others objected to the drawn to the study of nature in days gone by has to symptomatic of osteoporosis, Paget’s disease and theory of evolution because it left little or no place for do with a set of beliefs known as natural theology. bone metastasis. The way how these anomalies are God in nature and therefore threatened to disrupt formed will be shown and a few strategies how these the harmony between science and religion. Some Natural theology and science are tackled will be explained. One of these soon realised that the theory did not differ from other Until the time of the reformation most Christian techniques involves Radiopharmaceuticals. In the scientific explanations in this respect and adapted theologians believed that knowledge of God can be case of bone agents, this type of pharmaceuticals their views to accommodate it. For example, Rev. obtained only through revelation, mainly as consists of a metal ion that is radioactive coupled to D.P. Faure, founder of the Unitarian Church in South represented in the Bible. However, as early as 1436 a carrier that pulls the metal ion selectively towards Africa, argued in an address published in Cape the Spanish physician Raymond de Sebonde in his the bone and more particularly to the disease area Town in August 1876 that Darwinism need not be Theologia Naturalis... argued that knowledge of on the bone. Due the different radioactive properties inconsistent with Christian religious views. However, God can also be gained by studying nature. This of metal ions quite a selection of combinations is as gradualism and natural causation came to be view became widely accepted in England from the possible which gives fascinating drug design options. widely accepted, science lost its relevance to religion in the eyes of most theologians and natural Journal of the Royal Geographical Society and in his What is the S2A3? theology gradually faded. Meanwhile many Missionary Travels (1857). The S2A3 aims to stimulate a broad public interest in members of the clergy had made their mark in Other clerics who contributed to geographical science and its applications, research, discoveries, science, also in southern Africa. knowledge of southern Africa include Rev. Thomas history, ethics and philosophy. To do so, the S2A3 Arbousset (1810-1877) of the Paris Evangelical arranges regular meetings, with speakers who are Early clerical pioneers of astronomy in SA Missionary Society, who named Mont-aux-Sources both entertaining and knowledgeable, as well as The first astronomer of note to make observations in 1836; Rev. George Blencowe (1817-1893), who field trips, excursions and other interesting events. from the Cape was the French Jesuit priest Father published on the geology and physical geography of Being added to our e-mail address list is free. Guy Tachard, who stayed at the Cape for a while Zululand; and Francis Fleming (1823-1895), an Anyone wishing to receive S2A3 announcements via with a party of his colleagues in 1685, on their way Anglican priest who published a book on the e-mail but who has difficulty using the listserver to the East. Tachard determined the longitude of the geography of southern Africa in 1856. service, is welcome to send their address to: Cape using eclipses of Jupiter’s satellites, and [email protected] observed some of the southern stars. During the Students of natural history next century, the most prominent astronomer to work The single most popular scientific activity of religious at the Cape was the Frenchman Abbé Louis workers was plant collection. Their specimens are Nicholas De La Caille. The religious title Abbé was housed in many herbaria in southern Africa and conferred upon him when he completed his classical overseas, and constitute a substantial contribution to S2A3 Website & List server education, but he became a renowned professional knowledge of the flora of the sub-continent. Visit our website at http://s2a3.up.ac.za. Any astronomer. During his work at the Cape in 1751- Somewhat less common, though no less comments or suggestions are welcome. 1752 he observed the positions of some 10 000 enthusiastic, were investigators of the country’s By subscribing to the S2A3 List server you will be southern stars and observed an arc of meridian to fauna. For example, the Swiss missionary Henri notified via e-mail of forthcoming popular scientific help determine the precise shape of the earth. In the Junod (1863-1934), anthropologist, linguist and plant lectures and other events of interest presented by next century the astronomer who chose the site and collector, also collected scorpions, spiders, insects the S2A3. See http://s2a3.up.ac.za/ for more details. supervised the construction of the Royal and other land invertebrates in South Africa and To join this list, send an e-mail message to Observatory, Cape of Good Hope, and conducted Mozambique for the Transvaal Museum, South [email protected], with the following command in the body of your message: work there until his death in 1831, was Reverend African Museum, and institutions in Switzerland. He Fearon Fellows. He was ordained in the Church of published several papers on his specimens, and subscribe s2a3_announce