When did people start to call it an "antenna"

In summary: Dissertation. (in Dutch) "The behaviour ofchlorophyll in solution" Romijn was a biologist, IIRC.In summary, the term "antenna" was first used in the context of photosynthesis light harvesters around 1970, although it may have been used earlier. The term "antenna complex" was not commonly used in textbooks until the mid-1960s, and it may have been overlooked due to the time-consuming process of publishing scientific results at that time. Google and other search engines may not always yield accurate results when searching for the earliest use of a term, and other resources such as libraries may be more helpful in finding the oldest references. The earliest known use of the term
  • #1
qnach
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The photosynthesis light harvesters are called antenna.
But when did people started to call it antenna?
The earliest I can find is about 1970.
I believe it should be even earlier.
 
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  • #2
I am not sure why the term antenna is important. FWIW, I am also used to the term antenna complex.

The antenna pigments "live" on the the thylakoid membrane in a protein matrix and collectively are known as the antenna pigments (or antenna complex)- carotenoids, chlorophyll B , and chlorophyll A. In that order, from light source >...-> "inside" (for higher plants).
.
If this helps at all, when I taught Botany Labs as a grad student in the mid-1960's the term antenna complex did not exist in any of the textbooks we had on the shelf. AFAIK. So, 1970 is not a bad guess.
You also need to realize that in 1970 getting from research to a set of papers, then to standard textbooks was a huge, time-consuming effort. Unlike today, there was no internet arXiv resource to publish scientific results much more quickly. So, that term may have lurked in obscurity for several years.

This probably is why you are having problems with finding a definitive date.
 
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  • #3
jim mcnamara said:
I am not sure why the term antenna is important. FWIW, I am also used to the term antenna complex.

The antenna pigments "live" on the the thylakoid membrane in a protein matrix and collectively are known as the antenna pigments (or antenna complex)- carotenoids, chlorophyll B , and chlorophyll A. In that order, from light source >...-> "inside" (for higher plants).
.
If this helps at all, when I taught Botany Labs as a grad student in the mid-1960's the term antenna complex did not exist in any of the textbooks we had on the shelf. AFAIK. So, 1970 is not a bad guess.
You also need to realize that in 1970 getting from research to a set of papers, then to standard textbooks was a huge, time-consuming effort. Unlike today, there was no internet arXiv resource to publish scientific results much more quickly. So, that term may have lurked in obscurity for several years.

This probably is why you are having problems with finding a definitive date.

I am not quite sure how to use google. Please said you can let goole sort it for you.

The earliest I found is 1965
 
  • #4
Go to google scholar, enter the search query: antenna complex
This will give you papers that have the term. IF AND ONLY IF the resource has been indexed. Otherwise try a librarian at a good local university. Some keep old
textbooks - search through post 1950 textbooks.

You need to realize that google has limitations. There are journals from before the year 2000 that have never been indexed by google. So a search like you want may not work, except for google books which has a vast number of entries.
Try:
https://books.google.com/advanced_book_search

I get thousands of hits. If this is really important for you, keep scrolling and reading the publishing date. You will have to dedicate a fair amount of time to this, and you have no guarantee about getting the very oldest use of the term.
 
  • #5
Using google ngrams I get about 1965. Note that antenna complex also applies to radar and radio applications. So it does not help us.

Screenshot_2019-03-05 Google Ngram Viewer.png
 

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  • #6
MY bad. The earliest is 1949:
reference:
Screenshot_2019-03-05 Light-induced electron transport in reaction centers of purple.png

Johannes Cornelis Romijn 1949
 

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1. When was the term "antenna" first used to describe a device for receiving and transmitting electromagnetic waves?

The term "antenna" was first used in 1878 by German physicist Heinrich Hertz to describe the metal rods used in his experiments with radio waves.

2. How did the concept of an "antenna" develop over time?

The concept of an "antenna" evolved from the work of scientists such as James Clerk Maxwell and Michael Faraday in the 19th century, who laid the foundation for understanding electromagnetic waves and how they could be used for communication.

3. When did the first practical use of an "antenna" for communication occur?

The first practical use of an "antenna" for communication was in 1895 when Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi successfully transmitted radio signals over a distance of 1.5 miles.

4. How has the design and function of "antennas" changed over time?

Since their first use in the late 19th century, "antennas" have undergone significant advancements in design and function. They now come in various shapes and sizes and are used for a wide range of applications, from radio and television broadcasting to satellite communication and wireless internet.

5. What are some future developments and applications of "antennas"?

Researchers are constantly working on improving "antenna" technology, with a focus on increasing efficiency and reducing size. Some potential future applications of "antennas" include wireless power transfer, 5G networks, and even space exploration.

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