At the height of the Cold War in the 1950s, scientists established the International Geophysical Year (IGY), a global effort for a comprehensive study of the Earth, its poles, its atmosphere, and its interactions with the Sun. Seven years of planning led to coordinated activities in 11 science disciplines by participating scientists in 67 nations..
Click here for original story, 65 Years Ago: The International Geophysical Year Begins
Source: NASA Johnson Space Center