Science Digest
Encyclopedia
Science Digest was a monthly American
magazine published by the Hearst Corporation
from 1937 through 1986. It initially had an 8 x 5 inch format with about 100 pages, and was targeted at persons with a high school education level. It contained short articles about general science often excerpted from other publications in the style of Reader's Digest
.
In November 1980 the magazine was expanded to an 11 x 8 inch format with full-length articles and color pictures targeted at a college educated reader. It was issued bi-monthly with circulation of about 500,000 copies. At first it tended to favor breathless cover lines, and often turned to pseudoscience
topics, including spontaneous human combustion
and UFOs. But in reaction to brisk competition from the similar Discover
and Omni
magazines, it became a serious enough publication that it, and not the New York Times, first broke the discovery of great voids in the universe discovered by Margaret Geller
and John Huchra
at Harvard's Center for Astrophysics. The change did not seem to help, however, given competition in the same subject areas by Discover
and Science '80
, and the magazine ceased publication in 1986.
The magazine briefly re-appeared as a quarterly in 1987; returning to the original small "digest" format, with many short articles and snippets of science information. This final relaunch lasted only one year.
There was also an Australia
n edition with the title Omega Science Digest. This magazine, unlike its American cousin, carried original fiction.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
magazine published by the Hearst Corporation
Hearst Corporation
The Hearst Corporation is an American media conglomerate based in the Hearst Tower, Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. Founded by William Randolph Hearst as an owner of newspapers, the company's holdings now include a wide variety of media...
from 1937 through 1986. It initially had an 8 x 5 inch format with about 100 pages, and was targeted at persons with a high school education level. It contained short articles about general science often excerpted from other publications in the style of Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
.
In November 1980 the magazine was expanded to an 11 x 8 inch format with full-length articles and color pictures targeted at a college educated reader. It was issued bi-monthly with circulation of about 500,000 copies. At first it tended to favor breathless cover lines, and often turned to pseudoscience
Pseudoscience
Pseudoscience is a claim, belief, or practice which is presented as scientific, but which does not adhere to a valid scientific method, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility, cannot be reliably tested, or otherwise lacks scientific status...
topics, including spontaneous human combustion
Spontaneous human combustion
Spontaneous human combustion describes reported cases of the burning of a living human body without an apparent external source of ignition...
and UFOs. But in reaction to brisk competition from the similar Discover
Discover (magazine)
Discover is an American science magazine that publishes articles about science for a general audience. The monthly magazine was launched in October 1980 by Time Inc. It was sold to Family Media, the owners of Health, in 1987. Walt Disney Company bought the magazine when Family Media went out of...
and Omni
Omni (magazine)
OMNI was a science and science fiction magazine published in the US and the UK. It contained articles on science fact and short works of science fiction...
magazines, it became a serious enough publication that it, and not the New York Times, first broke the discovery of great voids in the universe discovered by Margaret Geller
Margaret Geller
Margaret Joan Geller is an American astronomer and professor. She is a Senior Astronomer at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and has written numerous articles and produced several award-winning scientific short films....
and John Huchra
John Huchra
John Peter Huchra [pronounced HUCK-rah] was an American astronomer and professor. He was the Vice Provost for Research Policy at Harvard University and a Professor of Astronomy at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He was also a former chair of the United States National Committee...
at Harvard's Center for Astrophysics. The change did not seem to help, however, given competition in the same subject areas by Discover
Discover (magazine)
Discover is an American science magazine that publishes articles about science for a general audience. The monthly magazine was launched in October 1980 by Time Inc. It was sold to Family Media, the owners of Health, in 1987. Walt Disney Company bought the magazine when Family Media went out of...
and Science '80
Science (magazine)
Science was a general science magazine published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science . It was intended to "bridge the distance between science and citizen", aimed at a technically literate audience who may not work professionally in the sciences...
, and the magazine ceased publication in 1986.
The magazine briefly re-appeared as a quarterly in 1987; returning to the original small "digest" format, with many short articles and snippets of science information. This final relaunch lasted only one year.
There was also an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n edition with the title Omega Science Digest. This magazine, unlike its American cousin, carried original fiction.
External links
- Description of 1980 relaunch from Current ContentsCurrent ContentsCurrent Contents is a rapid alerting service database from the Institute for Scientific Information, now part of Thomson Reuters, that is published online and in several different printed subject sections.-History:...
magazine. (PDF file accessed March 1, 2006)