# 1981 in science

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{{Year nav topic5|1981|science}}
{{Science year nav|1981}}

The year '''1981 in science''' and technology involved many significant events, listed below.

==Biology==
* September – [Pantanal Matogrossense National Park](/source/Pantanal_Matogrossense_National_Park) designated in [Brazil](/source/Brazil).
* Publication of [Stephen Jay Gould](/source/Stephen_Jay_Gould)'s critique of [biological determinism](/source/biological_determinism), ''[The Mismeasure of Man](/source/The_Mismeasure_of_Man)'', in the [United States](/source/United_States).

== Chemistry ==
* A German research team led by [Peter Armbruster](/source/Peter_Armbruster) and [Gottfried Münzenberg](/source/Gottfried_M%C3%BCnzenberg) at the [GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research](/source/GSI_Helmholtz_Centre_for_Heavy_Ion_Research) (GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung) in [Darmstadt](/source/Darmstadt) bombard a target of bismuth-209 with accelerated nuclei of chromium-54 to produce 5 atoms of the isotope [bohrium-262](/source/Bohrium)
[[Image:Ibm pc 5150.jpg|200px|thumb|right|[IBM PC](/source/IBM_PC) 5150]]
==Computer science==
* March 5 – The [ZX81](/source/ZX81), a pioneering British [home computer](/source/home_computer), is launched by [Sinclair Research](/source/Sinclair_Research), going on to sell over 1.5 million units worldwide.
* April 3 – The [Osborne 1](/source/Osborne_1), the first successful portable computer, is unveiled at the [West Coast Computer Faire](/source/West_Coast_Computer_Faire) in [San Francisco](/source/San_Francisco).
* July 9 – [Nintendo](/source/Nintendo) releases the arcade game ''[Donkey Kong](/source/Donkey_Kong_(arcade_game))'' featuring the debut of [Mario](/source/Mario).
* August 12 – The [IBM Personal Computer](/source/IBM_Personal_Computer) is released.<ref>{{cite web|first=Mary|last=Bellis|title=IBM History|url=http://inventors.about.com/od/computersandinternet/a/Ibm-History.htm|archive-url=http://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20120427191240/http://inventors.about.com/od/computersandinternet/a/Ibm%2DHistory.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 27, 2012|publisher=About.com|accessdate=2011-11-30}}</ref>
* September 12 – The [Chaos Computer Club](/source/Chaos_Computer_Club), a European association of [hacker](/source/Hacker_(computer_security))s, is established in Berlin by [Wau Holland](/source/Wau_Holland) and others.

==Mathematics==
* [Alexander Merkurjev](/source/Alexander_Merkurjev) proves the [norm residue isomorphism theorem](/source/norm_residue_isomorphism_theorem) for the case {{nowrap|1=''n'' = 2}} and {{nowrap|1=ℓ = 2}}.

==Medicine==
* April 26 – Dr. [Michael R. Harrison](/source/Michael_R._Harrison) of the [University of California, San Francisco](/source/University_of_California%2C_San_Francisco), performs the world's first human open [fetal surgery](/source/fetal_surgery).
* June 5 – [AIDS](/source/AIDS) [pandemic](/source/pandemic) begins when the United States [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](/source/Centers_for_Disease_Control_and_Prevention) reports an unusual cluster of [Pneumocystis pneumonia](/source/Pneumocystis_pneumonia_(PCP)) in five [homosexual](/source/homosexuality) men in [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles).<ref>{{cite journal|title=Pneumocystis pneumonia — Los Angeles|journal=[Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report](/source/Morbidity_and_Mortality_Weekly_Report)|volume=30|issue=21|pages=250–2|date=June 1981|pmid=6265753|url=https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/june_5.htm|publisher=Centers for Disease Control|author1=Centers for Disease Control (CDC)}}</ref>
* [Bruce Reitz](/source/Bruce_Reitz) leads the team that performs the first successful [heart–lung transplant](/source/heart%E2%80%93lung_transplant) on Mary Gohlke at [Stanford Hospital](/source/Stanford_Hospital).<ref name=Stanford> {{Cite web|url=http://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2016/03/bruce-reitz-recalls-the-worlds-first-heart-lung-transplant.html|title=5 Questions: Bruce Reitz recalls first successful heart-lung transplant|website=News Center|language=en|access-date=2 February 2019}}</ref>
* [LeCompte maneuver](/source/LeCompte_maneuver) first performed.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=LeCompte|first1=Y.|last2=Neveux|first2=J. Y.|last3=Leca|first3=F.|last4=Zannini|first4=L.|last5=Tu|first5=T. V.|last6=Duboys|first6=Y.|last7=Jarreau|first7=M. M.|date=November 1982|title=Reconstruction of the pulmonary outflow tract without prosthetic conduit|journal=[The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery](/source/The_Journal_of_Thoracic_and_Cardiovascular_Surgery)|volume=84|issue=5|pages=727–33|doi=10.1016/S0022-5223(19)38962-7 |issn=0022-5223|pmid=7132411|doi-access=free}}</ref>
* English psychiatrist [Lorna Wing](/source/Lorna_Wing) introduces the term "[Asperger syndrome](/source/Asperger_syndrome)".<ref>{{cite journal|last=Wing|first=L.|title=Asperger's syndrome: a clinical account|journal=[Psychological Medicine](/source/Psychological_Medicine)|volume=11|issue=1|pages=115–29|year=1981|doi=10.1017/S0033291700053332|pmid=7208735|s2cid=16046498 |url=http://www.mugsy.org/wing2.htm|accessdate=2007-08-15|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==Space exploration==
* April 12 – The first launch of a [Space Shuttle](/source/Space_Shuttle): [''Columbia''](/source/Space_Shuttle_Columbia) launches on the [STS-1](/source/STS-1) mission.
* October 6 – [UoSAT-1](/source/UoSAT-1), the first modern [microsatellite](/source/microsatellite), is launched into [Low Earth orbit](/source/Low_Earth_orbit).<ref>{{cite journal|last=Cook|first=Mike|date=June 1986|title=Way into the world of satellite telemetry|journal=[The Micro User](/source/The_Micro_User)|volume=4|issue=4|pages=100–1|publisher=Database Publications|location=Stockport, UK|issn=0265-4040}}</ref>

==Technology==
* July 7 – [Electric aircraft](/source/Electric_aircraft) [Solar Challenger](/source/Solar_Challenger), designed by an [American](/source/United_States) team led by [Paul MacCready](/source/Paul_MacCready) and piloted by Stephen Ptacek, makes a 163-mile (262&nbsp;km) crossing of the [English Channel](/source/English_Channel) using only [solar power](/source/solar_power) from wing-mounted [photovoltaic cell](/source/photovoltaic_cell)s.
* July 17 – [Hyatt Regency walkway collapse](/source/Hyatt_Regency_walkway_collapse): [Structural failure](/source/Structural_failure) due to a late design change causes two internal suspended walkways at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in [Kansas City, Missouri](/source/Kansas_City%2C_Missouri) to collapse, killing 114.

==Awards==
* [Nobel Prize](/source/Nobel_Prize)s
** [Physics](/source/Nobel_Prize_in_Physics) – [Nicolaas Bloembergen](/source/Nicolaas_Bloembergen), [Arthur Leonard Schawlow](/source/Arthur_Leonard_Schawlow), [Kai M. Siegbahn](/source/Kai_Manne_Boerje_Siegbahn)
** [Chemistry](/source/Nobel_Prize_in_Chemistry) – [Kenichi Fukui](/source/Kenichi_Fukui), [Roald Hoffmann](/source/Roald_Hoffmann)
** [Medicine](/source/Nobel_Prize_in_Physiology_or_Medicine) – [Roger W. Sperry](/source/Roger_W._Sperry), [David H. Hubel](/source/David_H._Hubel), [Torsten N. Wiesel](/source/Torsten_N._Wiesel)
* [Turing Award](/source/Turing_Award) – [Edgar F. Codd](/source/Edgar_F._Codd)

==Births==

==Deaths==
* January 5
** [Frederick Osborn](/source/Frederick_Osborn) (b. [1889](/source/1889_in_science)), [American](/source/Americans) [philanthropist](/source/philanthropist) and [eugenicist](/source/eugenicist).
** [Harold Urey](/source/Harold_Urey) (b. [1893](/source/1893_in_science)), American winner of the [Nobel Prize in Chemistry](/source/Nobel_Prize_in_Chemistry).<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Cohen | first1 = K. P. | last2 = Runcorn | first2 = S. K. | author-link2 = Keith Runcorn| last3 = Suess | first3 = H. E. | last4 = Thode | first4 = H. G. | author-link4 = Harry Thode| title = Harold Clayton Urey 29 April 1893-5 January 1981 | doi = 10.1098/rsbm.1983.0022 | journal = [Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society](/source/Biographical_Memoirs_of_Fellows_of_the_Royal_Society) | volume = 29 | pages = 622–659 | year = 1983 | jstor = 769815| doi-access = free }}</ref> 
* February 26 – [Jennie Smillie Robertson](/source/Jennie_Smillie_Robertson) (b. [1878](/source/1878_in_science)), [Canadian](/source/Canadians) [gynecological](/source/gynecological) [surgeon](/source/surgeon).
* March 8 – [Joseph Henry Woodger](/source/Joseph_Henry_Woodger), British theoretical biologist (b. [1894](/source/1894_in_science))<ref>{{cite journal| last1=Popper | first1=Karl | year=1981 | title=Obituary: Joseph Henry Woodger | journal=[British Journal for the Philosophy of Science](/source/British_Journal_for_the_Philosophy_of_Science) | volume=32 | issue=3 | pages=328–330 | doi=10.1093/bjps/32.3.328 }}</ref>
* March 9 – [Max Delbrück](/source/Max_Delbr%C3%BCck) (b. [1906](/source/1906_in_science)), [German](/source/Germans) [biologist](/source/biologist).<ref>{{Cite journal | author = William Hayes | author-link = William Hayes (geneticist)| doi = 10.1098/rsbm.1982.0003 | title = Max Ludwig Henning Delbruck. 4 September 1906-10 March 1981 | journal = [Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society](/source/Biographical_Memoirs_of_Fellows_of_the_Royal_Society) | publisher=[Royal Society](/source/Royal_Society)|location=London|volume = 28 | pages = 58–90| year = 1982 | jstor = 769892 | doi-access = free }}</ref>
* March 11 – [Kazimierz Kordylewski](/source/Kazimierz_Kordylewski) (b. [1903](/source/1903_in_science)), Polish astronomer.
* March 23 – [Beatrice Tinsley](/source/Beatrice_Tinsley) (b. [1941](/source/1941_in_science)), English astronomer.
* April 3 – [Leo Kanner](/source/Leo_Kanner) (b. [1894](/source/1894_in_science)), [Austrian American](/source/Austrian_Americans) clinical [child psychiatrist](/source/Child_and_adolescent_psychiatry).
* May 11 – [Odd Hassel](/source/Odd_Hassel), Norwegian chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. [1897](/source/1897_in_science))<ref>{{Citation|last=Pedersen|first=Bjørn|title=Odd Hassel|date=2019-09-24|url=http://snl.no/Odd_Hassel|work=Store norske leksikon|language=no|access-date=October 23, 2019}}</ref>
* July 4 - [Niels Erik Nørlund](/source/Niels_Erik_N%C3%B8rlund) (b. [1885](/source/1885_in_science)), [Danish](/source/Denmark) [mathematician](/source/mathematician).
* July 27 – [Elizabeth Rona](/source/Elizabeth_Rona) (b. [1890](/source/1890_in_science)), [Hungarian American](/source/Hungarian_American) [nuclear chemist](/source/nuclear_chemist).
* July 31 – [Ernest Melville DuPorte](/source/Ernest_Melville_DuPorte) (b. [1891](/source/1891_in_science)), [Black Canadian](/source/Black_Canadians) [insect morphologist](/source/Insect_morphology).
* September 8 – [Hideki Yukawa](/source/Hideki_Yukawa), Japanese physicist, [Nobel Prize](/source/Nobel_Prize_in_Physics) laureate (b. [1907](/source/1907_in_science))<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Kemmer | first1 = N. | author-link = Nicholas Kemmer| doi = 10.1098/rsbm.1983.0023 | title = Hideki Yukawa. 23 January 1907 – 8 September 1981 | journal = [Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society](/source/Biographical_Memoirs_of_Fellows_of_the_Royal_Society) | volume = 29 | pages = 660–676| year = 1983 | jstor = 769816| doi-access = free }}</ref>
* September 9 – [Jacques Lacan](/source/Jacques_Lacan) (b. [1901](/source/1901_in_science)), French [psychoanalyst](/source/psychoanalyst).<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/lacan/|title=Jacques Lacan|encyclopedia=Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy|publisher=Stanford University|first=Adrian|last=Johnston|year=2018}}</ref>
* November 15 – [Walter Heitler](/source/Walter_Heitler) (b. [1904](/source/1904_in_science)), German physicist<br>[Fellow of the Royal Society](/source/Fellow_of_the_Royal_Society)<ref name="frs">{{Cite journal | last1 = Mott | first1 = N. | author-link = Nevill Francis Mott| doi = 10.1098/rsbm.1982.0007 | title = Walter Heinrich Heitler. 2 January 1904 – 15 November 1981 | journal = [Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society](/source/Biographical_Memoirs_of_Fellows_of_the_Royal_Society) | volume = 28 | pages = 140–151| year = 1982 | jstor = 769896| doi-access = free }}</ref>
* November 17 
** [Wilhelm Pelikan](/source/Wilhelm_Pelikan) (b. [1893](/source/1893_in_science)), Austrian chemist.<ref>[https://steinerbooks.presswarehouse.com/browse/author/523454f0-d006-4472-8f4d-27fd69d3d317/Wilhelm-Pelikan?page=1 Wilhelm Pelikan]</ref>
** [Sibyl M. Rock](/source/Sibyl_M._Rock) (b. [1909](/source/1909_in_science)), American mathematician.
* November 22 – [Hans Krebs](/source/Hans_Adolf_Krebs) (b. [1900](/source/1900_in_science)), German [medical doctor](/source/medical_doctor) and [biochemist](/source/biochemist); discoverer of the [citric acid cycle](/source/citric_acid_cycle).<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kornberg|first1=H.|last2=Williamson|first2=D. H.|title=Hans Adolf Krebs. 25 August 1900 – 22 November 1981|journal=Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society|year=1984|volume=30|pages=350–385|doi=10.1098/rsbm.1984.0013|pmid=11616005|doi-access=free}}</ref>
* December 6 – [Harry Harlow](/source/Harry_Harlow) (b. [1905](/source/1905_in_science)), American [psychologist](/source/psychologist).

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1981 In Science}}
Category:1981 in science
Category:20th century in science
Category:1980s in science

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [1981 in science](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_in_science) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_in_science?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.