Today in History - October 14, 1947 - First supersonic flight. The research program that led to this accomplishment started in 1946 by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) [now National Aeronautics and Space Administration], the Army Air Forces, and Bell Aircraft Inc. They built two XS-1 experimental research aircraft to conduct pioneering tests at […]

WGBH Teachers Domain in partnership with NSDL hosted a meeting of 17 leaders in education from 14 states in Boston to discuss educational issues that included best practices and models for professional development, online resources for teaching, educational technology, and effective methods for teaching science. Participants learned about the rich media resources found […]

Today in History - September 14, 1959 - In 1959, a spaceship fell out of the lunar sky and hit the ground near the Sea of Serenity. Although the ship itself was shattered, the mission was considered a success, making Luna 2 from the Soviet Union the first manmade object to “land” on the […]

The NSDL Engineering Pathway(EP) recently redesigned its website to better engage the younger generation by incorporating findings and recommendations from the recent National Academy of Engineering study, Changing the Conversation. The new Engineering Pathway logo connotes movement and adventure - paths that provide opportunities to learn, connect, create, dream, design and do. The tagline messages encourage the […]

Today in History - August 10, 1846 -An Act of Congress signed by President James K. Polk established the Smithsonian Institution as a trust to administer the bequest of James Smithson. Smithson, a British chemist and mineralogist, named his nephew as beneficiary of his will, stipulating that, should the nephew die without heirs (as he […]