Kenneth Weaver

Kenneth Franklin Weaver (born November 29, 1915) enjoyed a substantial 33-year career as a writer for the "National Geographic Magazine". His prolific tenure with "National Geographic" produced articles encompassing a range of subjects until he retired as Senior Science Editor in 1985. [http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/may/08/national_geographic_memories/ LJWorld.com / National Geographic memories ] ]

The beginning

In 1952, Weaver was hired at "The National Geographic" in the legends department. "Legends" were, in fact, the captions that accompanied the innovative, often exotic photography that the "Geographic" pioneered at that time, and still do to this day. Weaver’s role was very high-profile, as the majority of "Geographic" subscribers primarily opened the magazine to peruse the pictures. Within this department, Weaver thrived, and he was quickly promoted to Staff Writer. His first "Geographic" article, entitled "Rip Van Winkle of the Underground: North America's Much Misunderstood Insect, the Periodical Cicada, Emerges After 17 Years in the Earth for a Fling in the Sun", was published in July 1953.

pace program coverage

Weaver's career is particularly notable because of his coverage of the NASA space program, from articles such as "Countdown for Space" in May 1961, "And Now to Touch the Moon's Forbidding Face", May 1969, and "Journey to Mars", February 1973. Weaver's articles were translated in many languages, bringing together people whose existences were drastically different, but who shared a single fascination with a subject that went beyond any cultural or political disparity at that time (most importantly, the Cold War space race between the US and Soviet Union).

ummary

All told, Weaver wrote 37 stories for "The National Geographic", mostly within the Science beat. [http://www.nationalgeographic.com/publications/explore.html] Upon his retirement, he wrote his last piece for the "Geographic's" November 1985 issue - the magazine's cover story for that month - entitled "The Search for Our Ancestors: Stones, Bones, and Early Man." [ [http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0504/feature2/learn.html Homo Erectus Discovery, Dmanisi Find, Learn More - National Geographic Magazine ] ]

List of Weaver's articles

Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=July, 1953
title=Rip Van Winkle of the Underground: North America's Much Misunderstood Insect, the Periodical Cicada, Emerges After 17 Years in the Earth for a Fling in the Sun
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=133-142
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Aug, 1958
title= How Old Is It? Telltale Radioactivity in Every Living Thing is Cracking the Riddle of Age
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=234-255
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=1961
title=Project Mercury: Countdown for Space
periodical=The National Geographic
volume=119
issue=5
pages=702-734
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Feb. 1962
title= Tracking America's Man in Orbit
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=184-217
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=July 1963
title=Athens: Her Golden Past Still Lights the World
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=100-137
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Feb. 1964
title= The Five Worlds of Peru
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=212-265
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Sept. 1965
title=Of Planes and Men: U.S. Air Force Wages Cold War and Hot
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=298-349
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Apr. 1966
title=Space Rendezvous, Milestone on the Way to the Moon
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=538-553
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Feb. 1966
title=Giant Comet Grazes the Sun
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=258-261
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=May 1967
title=Magnetic Clues Help Date the Past
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=696-701
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Nov. 1967
title=Historic Color Portrait of Earth From Space
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=726-731
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Aug. 1968
title= Crystals, Magical Servants of the Space Age
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=278-296
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=May 1969
title=And Now to Touch the Moon's Forbidding Face
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=632-635
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Dec. 1969
title= The Flight of Apollo 11: "One Giant Leap For Mankind"; First Explorers on the Moon: The Incredible Story of Apollo 11
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=752-787
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Jan. 1969
title=Remote Sensing: New Eyes to See the World
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=46-73
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Feb. 1969
title= That Orbèd Maiden, with White Fire Laden, Whom Mortals Call the Moon
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=206-230
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Dec. 1969
title=What the Moon Rocks Tell Us
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=788-791
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Aug. 1970
title= Voyage to the Planets
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=147-193
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Apr. 1971
title=Maui, Where Old Hawaii Still Lives
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=514-543
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Feb. 1972
title=Apollo 15 Explores the Mountains of the Moon
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=230-265
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Nov. 1972
title=The Search for Tomorrow's Power
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=650-681
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Feb. 1973
title=The Search for Life on Mars
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=264-265
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Feb. 1973
title= Journey to Mars
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=230-263
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Sept. 1973
title=Have We Solved the Mysteries of the Moon?
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=308-325
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Jan. 1974
title= How to Catch a Passing Comet
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=148-150
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=May 1974
title= The Incredible Universe
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=589-625
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Aug. 1974
title= What You Didn't See in Kohoutek
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=214-223
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=June 1975
title= Mariner Unveils Venus and Mercury
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=858-869
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Feb. 1975
title= Mystery Shrouds the Biggest Planet
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=284-294
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Aug. 1977
title= How Soon Will We Measure In Metric?
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=287-294
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Oct. 1977
title=Geothermal Energy: The Power of Letting Off Steam
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=566-579
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Feb. 1977
title= Electronic Voyage Through an Invisible World
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=274-290
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year=Apr. 1979
title= The Promise and Peril of Nuclear Energy
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=458-493
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year= 1980
title=The New America's Wonderlands: Our National Parks
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=1-464
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year= June 1980
title= Science Seeks to Solve...The Mystery of the Shroud
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=730-753
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year= Special Report on Energy (Feb. 1981)
title= Our Energy Predicament: America's Thirst for Imported Oil
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=2-23
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year= Nov. 1985
title= The Search for Our Ancestors: Stones, Bones, and Early Man
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=560-623
Citation
last=Weaver
first=Kenneth F.
year= Sept. 1986
title=Meteorites--Invaders From Space
periodical=The National Geographic
pages=390-418

References