IGYs

IGYs, short for International Geophysical Years, refer to periods of coordinated international scientific observation and data sharing in geophysics. The most significant example is the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957–1958, an 18-month program that united scientists from around the world to conduct standardized observations across disciplines such as geomagnetism, aeronomy, oceanography, seismology, meteorology, and cosmic rays. The project was coordinated by the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) with support from UNESCO and national scientific bodies; national committees organized field campaigns and observation networks, including ground stations, ships, balloons, and early satellite experiments.

A hallmark of the IGY was its global data-sharing ethos and broad international participation, with scientists from over 60 countries contributing. Notable milestones during this period included the launch of the first artificial satellites, Sputnik 1 (1957) and Explorer 1 (1958), which helped inaugurate the space age and demonstrated the value of international collaboration for space science. The IGY also fostered Antarctic research, laying groundwork for intensive scientific activity on and around the continent.

Legacy: The IGY influenced postwar scientific cooperation and helped spur rapid advances in space and Earth sciences. It contributed to the development of national space programs and international scientific infrastructure, and it is widely regarded as a turning point that demonstrated the benefits of coordinated, multinational research campaigns. The term IGYs is sometimes used to refer to related international geophysical initiatives that followed, though the 1957–1958 IGY remains the centerpiece of the series.