How do discoveries happen?

In school, we learn the scientific method as a straight-line process. But asking questions and making discoveries in science and history is more active and complex. The image to the right shows this exciting process of science and inquiry. Notice that it's not a straight line but an ongoing cycle!

Sometimes things don't work out the way you think they'll work out. 

Many times, you have to make a lot of mistakes in order to learn what will work.

Sometimes discoveries are made when you least expect it!

The activities below take you through the process of discovery, and highlights stories in air and space about surprising paths to discoveries and innovations.

 

How Science Works

A graphic showing the process of science. It shows that the process of science is not a linear recipe, but a non-linear, dynamic, and iterative process. In the center is a large circle that is labeled "Testing ideas." It is surrounded by three smaller circles labeled "Exploration and Discovery," "Benefits and Outcomes," and "Community Analysis and Feedback." There are arrows that flow between the three smaller circles. There are also smaller arrows that point between each circle and "Testing Ideas."
    

Jump to a Section:        Surprising Observations      Analyze a Scrapbook      Story Time Recommendations      Spotlight Story      From the Collection

Surprising Observations

When you slow down and look closely at things, you can make some interesting discoveries! Practice your observation skills by looking closely at some of our museum artifacts and scientific equipment.

Landers and Rovers

 

Best for ages 4 to 8

    

A Look at Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover

Best for ages 10 and up

    

Think about it! While you were looking closely at these machines, did any questions pop up in your head about them? What can you do to find out more?

Discoveries made by the rovers on Mars
  • The Curiosity rover was sent to study whether the planet Mars could have ever had living organisms on it. Seven weeks after landing on Mars in August 2012, Curiosity found an ancient riverbed that once flowed knee-deep thousands of years ago.
  • This video shows some surprising discoveries made by the Perseverance rover on Mars.

Activity: How to analyze scrapbook photographs from the past

Best for ages 10 and up

Digital illustration of a red-covered family scrapbook, which is open and showing two pages of the scrapbook. Taped into the scrapbook are three photos with various groupings of people in the photos. There is also some writing around the photos. The scrapbook is laying on a table, which has photos, glue, scissors, a cup of coffee and other office materials.
   

Does your family have a photo album or family scrapbook? 

Photo albums and scrapbooks are collections of pictures and or memorabilia (meaningful objects, newspaper clippings, tickets, or other things that let us remember people and events). 

You can put any item into a scrapbook that reminds you of a place or experience you have had. Most importantly scrapbooks tell a story. Some aviators keep scrapbooks too. 

When we look at scrapbooks from the past, the items in them are considered primary sources by historians. Primary sources are original objects made or written by people during the time of an event.  

We will be looking at photographs from Rubye Berau’s scrapbook that were taken in the 1930s making it over 80 years old! 

An aviator's scrapbook from the past can give us a snapshot of something that happened many years ago. It can also tell us a story or stories about a pilot's life.

Because we are looking at photographs from the past this activity will show you some steps that historians use to interpret primary sources. “Interpret” means to explain or tell the meaning of something.  We wonder what it was like to be a woman in the Golden Age of Flight, a time when learning to fly was new and becoming popular. These scrapbook pictures are part of the story of Rubye Berau, one of the first female pilots in the United States.

An excerpt of Rubye Berau's scrapbook dated August 23, 1932. There are two newspaper clppings, one titled "Mrs. Rubye Berau Gets Her 'Wings.''" There's also a small image of an airplane and a black and white photograph of Berau, a woman with a short haircut and a tie.

Here is a page from aviatrix Rubye Berau’s scrapbook.

An aviatrix is what people called women pilots in the early 20th century when Rubye learned how to fly. 

Rubye's scrapbook has newspaper clippings and photographs that tell us about her flying experience. A newspaper clipping is an article cut out of a newspaper.

A close snapshot of Rubye Berau's yellowing scrapbook shows her picture and a newspaper clipping that reads "Dr. Ferguson, an Air Service Incorporated student received his license at the same time Mrs. Ruby Berau, 21 South Walnut was awarded hers. Mrs. Berau is a member of the SOD girls. Arthur W. Philo granted his limited commercial certificate."

Click on the image and look closely at this part of the scrapbook page.

We can see a picture of a woman above the clipping.

The newspaper clipping tells us that Rubye was awarded her license at the same time as another student pilot, Dr. Ferguson.

Your Turn

Have a family member help you make an organizer like the one below in the brown box which you can use as a guide. 

A newspaper clipping, yellowed with age. The heading reads "Passes Tests for Pilot's License, Doctor Gets Permit." On the left is a picture of a woman wearing coveralls, a leather pilot's cap with goggles on her forehead.

The text of the article reads: 

"The name of Mrs. Rubye P. Berau of 21 S. Walnut st., and Dr. George A. Ferguson, 922 Mayfair rd, were added to Akron's list of licensed pilots Wednesday following the visit to Akron airport of Department of Comerce Inspector Charles L. Walker. Both received private permits. 

Mrs. Berau began taking her training last November with Air Services school at municipal airport, R. F. Kitchingman, manager"

Click on the newspaper clipping to make it larger and grab a sheet of paper.   Read "Mrs. Rubye Berau Gets Her Wings" in the newspaper clipping and write the information you find on Rubye in your organizer.

Look Closely

Describe what you see.

Example: I see a photo of a woman with short hair. She is smiling and looks happy. There is a flying plane above her head. 

Your Turn: 

Gather Information

Look for details on Rubye in newspaper clippings.

Example: There are large words that say "Rubye Berau Gets Her Wings." There is also a picture of someone with googles on their head and they are smiling. Under the picture it says Mrs. Ruby Berau. 

Your Turn: 

Put It Together

What did you find? Do you have questions? Can you answer these questions about Rubye?

Example: I found information that shows Rubye Berau was a lady who likes planes and flying. 

Your Turn: 

Great job! You just learned about one of the first woman pilots by interpreting photographs and articles from her past!

Once you have finished your organizer try answering these questions:

  • According to Rubye's scrapbook, when did she get her pilot's license?
  • Can you find out from the pages how long it took her? (Hint: look for the month when Rubye started her training.)
Compare Your Findings

Rubye was awarded her license on August 23, 1932. We know this because of what Rubye included in her scrapbook and also from her original pilot’s license. You can see it here!     
   
A blue biplane with yellow wings and a silver propeller. The number "2" is painted prominently on the side.
The Udvar-Hazy Center has a Model 2 Fleet Plane similar to the one Rubye Berau flew as a student.

Story Time Recommendations

 

A book cover shows a picture of a woman jumping with a parachute. The text reads "Tiny Jumper: How Tiny Broadwick Created the Rip Cord."

Tiny Jumper: How Tiny Broadwick Created the Parachute Rip Cord

by Candy Dahl, illustrated by Maithili Joshi

Best for ages 5-10

Read about the adventurous life of Tiny Broadwick, and how her courage, daring nature and love of parachuting led to the unexpected creation of the parachute rip cord.

A book cover with a young Black girl doing math and science problems. The text reads "Ada Twist, Scientist."

Ada Twist, Scientist

by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts

Best for ages 5-8

Discoveries and innovation start with a curious mind and the question, "Why?" Meet Ada Twist, a 2nd grader with a head full of questions and the desire to learn more about the world around her.

A book cover showing a little girl looking at the stars. The text reads "The Stuff Between the Stars."

The Stuff Between the Stars

by Sandra Nickel, illustrated by Aimee Sicuro

Best for ages 6-10

Vera Rubin loved astronomy and decided to pursue her questions about the universe. Read about how she persevered to learn more about space and dark matter.

Spotlight Story: Frances "Poppy" Northcutt

First woman engineer on NASA's Mission Control Panel

  • Woman sits at control panel
    Download Image
    • Frances “Poppy” Northcutt was the first woman engineer to work on NASA’s Mission Control Panel. Poppy was crucial in multiple space missions and helped create the “abort mission” process. 
    • On April 13th, 1970, the Apollo 13 mission to the Moon took off from Earth and into the atmosphere.
    • Poppy was in charge of the mathematical trajectory predictions of the Apollo 13 launch and return. She had to make on-the-spot calculations that were very important during delays and engine malfunctions. 
  • Apollo XIII Mission Patch
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    • The Apollo 13 mission was called a “successful failure” because even though the astronauts didn't make it to the Moon as planned, NASA teams proved that they could work together to get astronauts home from space safely. 
    • The mission changed when oxygen tank number 2 exploded while in orbit, moments after systems were deemed as safe and secure.
    • Astronaut Jim Lovell reported that oxygen was leaking into the atmosphere, and panic ensued across the spacecraft and mission control room. 
    • Poppy and the mission operations team developed the crucial math calculations that helped keep the astronauts safe and get them home safely.
  • A white senior woman smiles looking to the left. A projection screen stands behind her.
    Download Image
    • Poppy and the Mission Operations team were given the Presidential Medal of Freedom for their quick thinking that saved the day. 
    • After the Apollo 17 moon landing, Northcutt retired her NASA badge, and became a criminal defense attorney, funneling her energy into the woman’s rights movement. 
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  • Woman sits at control panel
  • Apollo XIII Mission Patch
  • A white senior woman smiles looking to the left. A projection screen stands behind her.

Surprising Stories in our Collections

Dust Brush

Dust Brush

Large amounts of dust collected on the astronauts' space suits during excursions to the lunar surface. The dust, if deposited in the Lunar Module threatened to contaminate the cabin's environmental control system.

Following the Apollo 12 mission, astronaut Alan Bean noted that they had lacked a means to remove the dust from their suits prior to entering the Lunar Module. After that, all missions had these large brushes to brush lunar dust off of suits before entering the lunar module.

This brush was used during training and did not go into space.

Apollo 11 Neil Armstrong Left Glove with printed checklist on sleeve.

Neil Armstrong's Extra-Vehicular (EV) Gloves from the Apollo 11 mission

When Neil Armstrong's space gloves began to develop mysterious spots on the cuff, Smithsonian specialists took a closer look, and what they found was surprising. When they looked at these spots under a 3-D microscope, they found lunar dust stuck in parts of the glove that were repaired with a softer material than the original suit material.

Grown-ups, to learn more about this story, watch this video.

Large grey-colored parachute made with 110 yards of silk. The parachute was made with straight pieces of material.

Silk Parachute

This silk parachute belonged to Georgia "Tiny" Broadwick, the first woman to jump out of an airplane using a parachute. She made over 1,000 jumps - first out of balloons and then out of airplanes. She accidentally invented the ripcord during a parachute jump when her parachute didn't open correctly. 

The ripcord is now an important part of modern parachutes.

Grown-ups, to learn more about Tiny Broadwick, listen to this AirSpace podcast.

Think about it! Do you have a memento or special object in your home that has a surprising story? Ask a family member the same question. You may discover a family story you weren't aware of! You can also share a story with a family member about one of your special objects.

Soar Together at Air and Space is made possible by the generous support of Northrop Grumman.

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