Student dilemma: physical science or physical education?

"Practical physics classes were competing with the allure of sports in the 1800s, and top tips for the best-smelling garden, in this week's peek at the Nature archives. 100 years ago doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-00297-2 This article features text from Nature's archive. By its historical nature, the archive includes some images, articles and language that by twenty-first-century standards are offensive and harmful. Find out more."

"Practical physics classes were competing with the allure of sports in the 1800s, and top tips for the best-smelling garden, in this week's peek at the Nature archives."

Practical physics classes in the 1800s competed with sports for students' attention, prompting educators to adapt laboratory instruction and curricular presentation to attract pupils. Sporting activities drew significant interest away from classroom science and influenced how physics was taught and scheduled. Gardening guidance emphasized maximizing fragrance through plant selection, bloom timing, and arranging complementary aromatic species to sustain scent across seasons. Recommendations favored strategic interplanting and seasonal planning to maintain continuous fragrance. Historical archive materials may reflect past social norms and can include images or language that are now considered offensive or harmful.

Read at Nature