Science: Fireflies, Knees & Fuses

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Modestly accepting the congratulations of U.S. science and industry, the National Bureau of Standards celebrated its 50th birthday last week. Without the bureau's busy, intelligent activities,U.S. nuts would not fit as many bolts so handily; houses would not be as warm; false teeth would not look or chew as well. In thousands of ways, both obvious and obscure, the bureau has increased the technical effectiveness of American living.

Created by a 1901 Act of Congress, and originally concerned with standardizing weights & measures, the bureau has outgrown its name. It has become a national laboratory with 3,300 employees, about 2,000; of whom are scientists. There is hardly anything technical that they have left untouched. They have measured the earth's gravitation, analyzed fireflies' light, measured the abrasiveness of female knees (in connection with the durability of silk stockings). The first alternating-current radio set came from the bureau. So did the "printed circuit" for miniature radios and hearing aids, and the "magnetic clutch" that is being used in more & more kinds of machinery.

The bureau's work falls into two main categories. The first, testing, is an outgrowth of its early weights & measures work. Almost everything that can be tested is tested by the bureau, including building materials, airplane parts, chemicals, complex laboratory instruments. At present the bureau is investigating dental materials, a business -that is notoriously unstandardized.

The second category, research and development, is more spectacular. During World War II the bureau produced the only successful guided missile ("the bat"), and the uncanny proximity fuse. Recently it has gone into electronic computers, turning out two for the Air Force that are probably the fastest in operation. In any future war, the bureau will be the laboratory behind the laboratories that design the fighting machines.