“Scientific American,” America’s oldest continually published magazine, was first published on this day in 1845. It was founded, appropriately enough, by an inventor named Rufus Porter. It started as a newspaper focused mostly on the U.S. Patent Office, as well as other cool scientific innovations, broadening its focus over time to its current state as a leading brand in popular science education and storytelling. While it’s been no stranger to controversy in its history, the magazine’s most interesting spat came when the U.S. government tried to censor it.
In 1950, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, a civilian body with regulatory control over all things nuclear, ordered the magazine to stop publishing an issue that contained classified secrets about the hydrogen bomb. It complied, recalling the 3,000 copies that had been printed and, under government orders, burning them before sending out a censored version to the masses. It turned out to be pretty good press for the magazine, as it was seen as a victim of literal book burning.
