Current research projects

Exploring Greenland: Science and Technology in Cold War Settings

The project has the goal to investigate the development of research activities in the geophysical sciences and in nuclear technology in Greenland in the Cold War period. It aims at exploring (1) which research activities were pursued and what results were achieved in the selected disciplines in Greenland in the Cold War period, (2) how research efforts were influenced by geopolitical, military, colonial or environmental interests and, vice versa, had an impact on these interests and (3) how research activities in Greenland were framed and com-municated to scientific and public audiences. The project consists of 8 subprojects.

Research team:
Aarhus University: Matthias Heymann (project-leader), Henrik Knudsen, Maiken L. Lolck, Kristian Hvidtfelt Nielsen, Henry Nielsen, Christopher J. Ries
Florida State University: Ronald E. Doel, Kristine C. Harper

For more information see: http://ivs.au.dk/en/research/greenland/

Atmospheric and Climate Modelling after WW II

The atmospheric sciences received enormous attention in the years following WW ll, at the same time the practices, tasks and the knowledge in the atmospheric sciences changed dramatically. Computer modelling and simulation became essential and represented a new type of scientific activity, which even today has not been investigated in much detail. Which new scientific practices have been developed? What role did they play in the scientist’s quest for knowledge and evidence? How did this form of science contribute to the emergence of concern and anxiety about climate change?

Part of this effort are:
- ESF Exploratory Workshop "Exploring Epistemic Shifts in Computer Based Environmental Sciences", 10-12 June 2010. For more information see: http://ivs.au.dk/forskning/esfconference/
- International research network "Atmosphere & Algorithms (2010-2012)
For more information see: http://www.geisteswissenschaften.fu-berlin.de/en/v/atmosphere-algorithms/index.html
- Special Issue: Modelling and simulation in the atmospheric and climate sciences, Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, Vol. 41, Nr. 3, 2010.

Research team: Matthias Heymann, Nils Randlev Hundebøl, Maiken Lykke Lolck

Revolutionary Visions and Fatal Failures: Hydrogen as an Energy Carrier

After its discovery in 1783 hydrogen became an obsession for many scientists and engineers, who saw its potential to be used in a whole host of extremely interesting ways: human flight (with balloons and airships), electricity production (through the fuel cell), light and power generation (by burning hydrogen) or rocket and vehicle propulsion (using hydrogen as fuel). By the 1970s, the vision of a hydrogen society became common currency among researchers and politicians and a topic of public debate. So, for over 200 years enthusiasm about hydrogen enthusiasm brought about achievements and visions, but the story also had its failures and delusions. So, why hydrogen? And why the shattered dreams?
See book publication in German and English language.

Past research projects

Engineers, markets and visions: The rise of natural-gas liquefaction

Natural gas is extracted from many deposits far away from the consumption centres, for example in countries like Algeria, Brunei, Venezuela or Nigeria. At one point it looked as if deep cooling and liquefaction of the gas would make it transportable as a fluid in ships. Liquified natural gas (LNG), however, proved to be a highly explosive fluid which laid a quarter in Cleveland, Ohio, into ashes in October 1944. Furthermore, the extreme cold put extreme mechanical stress on the metal storage tanks, which easily cracked. Some risky business undertakings in the deserts of Algeria and Libya, sophisticated tank technology and strangely shaped ships have finally – after three decades of technological drudgery – created a new global fuel infrastructure and enabled the cold liquid to flow to where it is used.
See book publication in German and English language.

"Art" and Science in 20th Century Technology

This project, a contribution to the DFG-Sonderforschungsbereich 536 "Reflexive Modernization", investigates the tension between scientific approaches and practical personal knowledge in engineering design. The project analyzes methodological debates in engineering design in the German speaking countries since the mid-19th century. It pays particular attention to the relation of formal scientific knowledge and non-verbal, personal or tacit knowledge in engineering design as conceived by engineers. The goal of the project, an examination of the hypothesis of "reflexive modernization" in engineering design in the 1980s and 1990s, led to the broader perspective of a pendulum movement in engineering design methodology that has been swinging since the foundation of the discipline.
Book publication: "Kunst" und Wissenschaft in der Technik des 20. Jahrhunderts
Inhaltsverzeichnis

"Tropospheric Air Pollution Problems since 1945" – TRAP45

In spite of an enormous growth in scientific and political efforts to abate air pollution since the 1950s effective air pollution control remains an unsolved problem. Abatement measures have provided local relief, but at the same time caused a shift of problems to trans- boundary acidification, photochemical smog, ozone depletion in the stratosphere and global climate change. As an attempt to investigate the difficulties of comprehensive and effective air pollution control strategies the international project TRAP45 was founded as a subproject of EUREKA-Project EUROTRAC-2.
Project information  and conclusions
Detailed project description

Wind power use in the 20th century

After initial enthusiasm over new technologies wind power quickly fell into economic insignificance in the 20th century. But in spite of the lack of financial support, interest in wind power remained high. The technology of wind energy converters experienced rapid advances and changed more quickly than ever before. The project analyzes the conditions and problems of wind power use in the 20th century and attempts to answer the following questions: Why was wind power not used though expectations remained high? And why was it Denmark which succeeded first in the renaissance of wind power in the late 20th and early 21st centuries?
Book publication: Die Geschichte der Windenergienutzung (out of print)
Review and content
Review in Technology and Culture
Inhaltsverzeichnis