1930s

1932

Campfire Companion... Jim Wright, the "father of forest fire research", develops the Fire Danger Rating Index, based on weather data. Used for the now-familiar fire danger postings in national parks and other forested areas, the index provides the scientific basis for later fire danger ratings and fire management systems.

1935

Dust Bowl Legacy... To counter the risk of soil erosion in the aftermath of the notorious dust bowls of the Great Depression, researchers develop technologies and management systems such as a design of new plough blades and tillage methods better suited to Prairie soils.

1936

Full Steam Ahead... Based on tests conducted in federal wind tunnels involving wooden and metal scale models, Canadian National Railways introduces a streamlined steam locomotive that uses one-third the energy and keeps the engine cabin clear of stack smoke.

1936

A is for Apple... The world's first Spartan Apple, a popular table variety now grown across North America, is picked from the tree at the Summerland experimental farm in British Columbia.

1938

TB Vaccine... After 14 years of work, medical researchers perfect the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis, once one of the leading causes of death among Canadians aged 20 to 50.

1938

It's a Gas... Researchers find a way to convert Western Canada's natural gas into products such as antifreeze, synthetic rubber and benzene, a chemical used to make insecticides, detergent and motor fuels.

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