Iqiniso Elafihlwa Iminyaka Engu-50—Kungani?
IRum iyisiqhingi esincane sase-Inner Hebrides, ngasogwini lwaseScotland olusentshonalanga. Eminyakeni engaba ngu-70 edlule, umniniso wanika isazi sezitshalo uJohn Heslop Harrison, uprofesa waseyunivesithi noyilungu le-Royal Society yodumo yaseBrithani, imvume yokucwaninga ngezitshalo ezitholakala kuso.
Eminyakeni eyalandela, uHarrison wabika ukuthi wayethole izinhlobo eziningi zezitshalo ezingavamile lapho, izitshalo ezazimila endaweni eseningizimu eqhele ngamakhulu amakhilomitha. UHarrison waduma ngokushesha, lokho akufeza kwamenza waba yisilomo. Kodwa njengoba uhla lwakhe lwezitshalo ayezithola lwalwanda, ezinye izazi zezitshalo zaqala ukusola.
Ngo-1948, uJohn Raven, uprofesa waseCambridge nesazi sezitshalo esiyimfundamakhwela, wayamukela inselele yokwenza uphenyo. Kodwa umbiko wakhe awuzange ushicilelwe. Kunalokho wafihlwa, okukuwo kwaze kwembulwa ngo-1999. Kungani? Kungenxa yokuthi uRaven wethula ubufakazi obabubonisa ukuthi uHarrison wayekhohlisa. Njengoba kwabika umagazini i-New Scientist, lezi zitshalo zazilinywe kwenye indawo futhi zathathwa zayiswa eRum ngesinyenyela.
URaven wayekwazi ukubona izitshalo ezimila ngokwemvelo futhi lapho ehlola izimpande zezitshalo ezimbalwa “ezazitholwe” uHarrison wathola ukhula olwalutholakala eNgilandi kodwa olwalungavamile eRum. Ezinye izitshalo zazinensensane okwabikwa ukuthi yayitholakala ezindaweni ezimbili kuphela eBrithani—enye okwakuyingadi kaHarrison eNgilandi. Ubufakazi obengeziwe batholakala ezimpandeni zesitshalo esithile, ezazinezinhlayiya zegcaki (quartz)—elihluke ngokuphelele egcakini elingokwemvelo laseRum.
Kwakusenokunye okuningi. Kwakwaziwa ukuthi izimemezelo zikaHarrison zokuthi kulesi siqhingi kwakunezimvemvane namabhungane athile zaziyinkohliso. I-Sunday Telegraph Magazine yaphawula ukuthi esinye isakhamuzi saseRum savuma: “Uprofesa wayehlale efihle okuthile—kungaba uvemvane noma isitshalo—ayezokuveza njengento entsha ayitholile minyaka yonke.” Khona-ke kungani uHarrison engazange adalulwe?
Umcwaningi uKarl Sabbagh uphetha ngokuthi isinqumo sokuthi kungenziwa lutho sasiwumusa ukuze kuvikelwe umkhaya kaHarrison, kodwa iqiniso lokuthi uHarrison wayeyindoda enamandla, okwakuyingozi ukuphikisana nayo, cishe nalo lacatshangelwa. Futhi uSabbagh uphawula ukuthi ukudalulwa “kwakungenza ukuba wonke umkhakha wesayensi yezitshalo ungatshazwe.”