The International Geophysical Year

Due to the Cold War, scientific cooperation between East and West has been at a standstill for far too long. This must change. Especially now that the Sun is about to enter a period of heightened activity: a golden opportunity to study the Earth and the Sun more closely. Sixty thousand scientists in 67 countries, including the Netherlands, are sharing out a wide range of tasks as part of an International Geophysical Year. The research covers the aurora, cosmic radiation, geomagnetism, the layer of ions and electrons at the outermost edge of the atmosphere (the ionosphere), meteorology, oceanography, nuclear radiation, glaciology, seismology, rockets and satellites, and solar activity. An ideal moment for the Netherlands to launch its space research programme.

• Stamps and so-called ‘first-day covers’ were issued to mark the International Geophysical Year. This was also the case in the Netherlands.
• The 1957 special edition of the UNESCO Courier. Read about all the things we didn’t know back then.