50 and 100 years ago.

This article presents excerpts of various papers that were published in previous issues of the periodical "Nature." One of the excerpts has been taken from a paper that was published in the July 23, 1955 issue of the periodical. Automation was defined by R.K. Geiser at a conference on "Automation and Industrial Development" at Syracuse, New York, in May 1954, as the accomplishment of a job by an integrated mechanism with a minimum of assistance of any kind. Another excerpt has been taken from a paper that was published in the July 20, 1905 issue of the periodical. This paper is related to a commander, who sailed to make a further attempt to reach the North Pole. His plan is based upon the Smith Sound, or "American" route to the Pole, and his object is to force his ship to a base within 500 miles of the Pole itself, and then to sledge across the Polar pack.