Description: The men and women of the Smithsonian are the Institution’s most important asset, a fact which was as true in the 1910s as it is today. The staff of the Smithsonian work together to fulfill their mission: ‘the increase and diffusion of knowledge,’ working for the public good and engaging the world. During World War I, this mission expanded beyond academic knowledge to support
Description: On the evening of October 1, 1847, while using a small telescope on the roof of the family home, Maria Mitchell (1818-1889) spotted a comet where one had not been before. Word of this achievement spread quickly through the scientific community. The American Journal of Science declared her “the first American entitled to the honor of the original discovery of a comet.” Some