La Radioactivitat a les patents d'invenció espanyoles, 1900-1929

This paper explores the use of patents as a source for the history of science by focusing on radioactivity-related patents issued in Spain in the period 1900-1936. The relevance of this source and its coherence with other historical records is particularly assessed, as well as practical aspects related to its access, analysis and interpretation. The study, mainly based on the analysis of the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM) database, reveals major trends in the uses of radioactive elements as industrial products and confirms the lack of a national industry of radium

The First Nuclear Industry: Radioisotopes, State and Society

This report is structured in three sections. In the first section, we present a general historical background narrative about the antecedents of radioisotope-related R&D before the Second World War and of the post-war developments leading to the establishment of a radioisotope industry. In this narrative, the focus will be on American developments, as the United States constitutes the most important player in the production of and the research with these materials. Indeed, these have been the developments that have received most attention in the historical literature. The following section focuses on the history of European radioisotope industries. This part is the more innovative part of this report, as the history of European radioisotopes has never been studied comprehensively. We will approach this analysis from a comparative point of view, which will focus on four different countries: the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Spain. The choice of these countries is mainly based on the availability of historical secondary sources. In any case, these countries represent a good combination of major players of the radioisotope market (France and the UK), an important nation in the industrial uses of radioisotopes (Germany), which is at the same time politically interesting because of its Cold-War related political division, and finally a scientifically and politically “peripheral” actor (Spain), that can help to contrast with democratic countries. Unfortunately, we will leave out of our study some countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium, which became major players in the radioisotope market, as well as the Soviet Union/Russia and all East European bloc. In each case, a description of main events in the development of radioisotope production and use is provided, as well as an analysis of the public perception based on the analysis of the press coverage of radioisotopes.This study is supplemented by an account of IAEA efforts in radioisotope research which can help to discuss transnational developments. The focus on the IAEA is based on the fact that the Agency became the main actor in the configuration of the field since the 1960s. Finally, the last section of the report provides a comparative analysis of the pattern of development of radioisotope industries and societies in Europe, allowing to empirically checking the basic hypothesis of this report

The First Nuclear Industry: Radioisotopes, State and Society

This report is structured in three sections. In the first section, we present a general historical background narrative about the antecedents of radioisotope-related R&D before the Second World War and of the post-war developments leading to the establishment of a radioisotope industry. In this narrative, the focus will be on American developments, as the United States constitutes the most important player in the production of and the research with these materials. Indeed, these have been the developments that have received most attention in the historical literature. The following section focuses on the history of European radioisotope industries. This part is the more innovative part of this report, as the history of European radioisotopes has never been studied comprehensively. We will approach this analysis from a comparative point of view, which will focus on four different countries: the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Spain. The choice of these countries is mainly based on the availability of historical secondary sources. In any case, these countries represent a good combination of major players of the radioisotope market (France and the UK), an important nation in the industrial uses of radioisotopes (Germany), which is at the same time politically interesting because of its Cold-War related political division, and finally a scientifically and politically “peripheral” actor (Spain), that can help to contrast with democratic countries. Unfortunately, we will leave out of our study some countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium, which became major players in the radioisotope market, as well as the Soviet Union/Russia and all East European bloc. In each case, a description of main events in the development of radioisotope production and use is provided, as well as an analysis of the public perception based on the analysis of the press coverage of radioisotopes.This study is supplemented by an account of IAEA efforts in radioisotope research which can help to discuss transnational developments. The focus on the IAEA is based on the fact that the Agency became the main actor in the configuration of the field since the 1960s. Finally, the last section of the report provides a comparative analysis of the pattern of development of radioisotope industries and societies in Europe, allowing to empirically checking the basic hypothesis of this report

Communicating and Comparing: the Role of History of Science to Localism, Fragmentation and Cultural Hegemony

En las últimas décadas, hemos asistido a una importante revisión crítica de las narrativas tradicionales de la historia de la ciencia, basadas en la emergencia de la ciencia moderna en occidente y su progreso hasta el establecimiento de la civilización industrial. Partiendo de esta situación, nos proponemos analizar algunos de los debates historiográficos recientes desde nuestra perspectiva como historiadores de la “periferia” europea. Tres cuestiones centran nuestra atención: las proclamas −fundamentalmente anglosajonas− sobre la necesidad de una nueva perspectiva capaz de conectar con audiencias amplias y evitar las tendencias centrífugas de la especialización; la pérdida de internacionalismo patente en la producción académica y en sus enfoques, y los debates actuales sobre el auge y caída del Estado-nación y su validez como unidad de análisis. Como resultado de esta discusión, reivindicamos como programa historiográfico el uso de la historia comparada en combinación con el análisis de los procesos de comunicación a varios niveles: del local al transnacional.In the last decades an important revision and fragmentation of the history of science canonical narratives –based in the emergence of modern science in the West and its progress towards the establishment of industrial civilization – has taken place. In this paper we intend to analyze some of the most recent historiographical debates from the standing point of our experience as historians of the European “periphery”. We will focus on three major questions: the –essentially Anglo-American– claims for the need of a new “big picture” able to connect with wide audiences and to avoid the centrifugal tendencies of specialization; the loss of internationalism in academic output and perspectives, and the current debates on the heyday and decline of the nation-state and its validity as a unit of analysis. As a result of this discussion we suggest a historiographical program based on the use of comparative history together with the analysis of communication processes at different levels – from the local to the transnational

La terre sous surveillance : enjeux et lieux de recherche d’un projet transnational

National audienceThe TEUS project explored, in a transnational perspective, the technical, political, economic and social dynamics that shaped the geosciences during the Cold War. In this article, we discuss the main historiographical issues of the project, its major results, and their contribution to the analysis of the co-construction of science and international relations.Le projet TEUS a exploré, dans une perspective transnationale, les dynamiques techniques, politiques, économiques et sociales qui ont façonné les géosciences pendant la Guerre froide. Dans cet article, nous discutons les enjeux historiographiques du projet, les principaux résultats obtenus et ses apports pour l’analyse des imbrications entre les sciences et les relations internationales.

History of 20th century physics in Spain: state-of-the-art and perspectives

El artículo presenta los tres artículos sobre historia de la física en España incluidos en este número de Actes, a partir de un análisis de la literatura, la discusión de los resultados de un proyecto de investigación y el análisis de la base de datos bibliográfica sobre este tema que han elaborado los autores.We introduce here the three articles on the history of physics in Spain included in this number of Actes, on the basis of a survey of the literature, a commentary on the results of a current research project and the analysis of a bibliographic database on this subject produced by the authors

Communicating and Comparing: the Role of History of Science to Localism, Fragmentation and Cultural Hegemony

En las últimas décadas, hemos asistido a una importante revisión crítica de las narrativas tradicionales de la historia de la ciencia, basadas en la emergencia de la ciencia moderna en occidente y su progreso hasta el establecimiento de la civilización industrial. Partiendo de esta situación, nos proponemos analizar algunos de los debates historiográficos recientes desde nuestra perspectiva como historiadores de la “periferia” europea. Tres cuestiones centran nuestra atención: las proclamas −fundamentalmente anglosajonas− sobre la necesidad de una nueva perspectiva capaz de conectar con audiencias amplias y evitar las tendencias centrífugas de la especialización; la pérdida de internacionalismo patente en la producción académica y en sus enfoques, y los debates actuales sobre el auge y caída del Estado-nación y su validez como unidad de análisis. Como resultado de esta discusión, reivindicamos como programa historiográfico el uso de la historia comparada en combinación con el análisis de los procesos de comunicación a varios niveles: del local al transnacional.In the last decades an important revision and fragmentation of the history of science canonical narratives –based in the emergence of modern science in the West and its progress towards the establishment of industrial civilization – has taken place. In this paper we intend to analyze some of the most recent historiographical debates from the standing point of our experience as historians of the European “periphery”. We will focus on three major questions: the –essentially Anglo-American– claims for the need of a new “big picture” able to connect with wide audiences and to avoid the centrifugal tendencies of specialization; the loss of internationalism in academic output and perspectives, and the current debates on the heyday and decline of the nation-state and its validity as a unit of analysis. As a result of this discussion we suggest a historiographical program based on the use of comparative history together with the analysis of communication processes at different levels – from the local to the transnational