Naked Science Forum
On the Lighter Side => Famous Scientists, Doctors and Inventors => Topic started by: dd on 04/11/2002 21:41:54
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Does anyone know anything about Benjamin Franklin - who he was, what he did etc ?
Cheers[^]
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As well as playing a major role in American history, Benjamin Franklin was one of the first 'electricians' and is famed for flying a kite into a thunderstorm to tap electricity from the clouds.
One of the books we recently reviewed by Patricia Fara talks about Franklin's work in some detail :
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/html/books/historyscience.htm
TNS
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Here's what I read about Ben Franklin on Philadelphia Inquirer:
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer
1) Newton's 1666 force equation... F=GmM/r^2
2) Franklin's 1777 force equation... F=Gm^2/rR
3) Franklin's 1777 force equation... F=GmM/rR
4) Franklin's 1777 force equation... F=Gm^2/r^2
5) Franklin's 1777 force equation... F=GmM/w^2
6) Franklin's 1777 force equation... F=Gm^2/wW
7) Franklin's 1777 force equation... F=GmM/wW
8) Franklin's 1777 force equation... F=Gm^2/w^2
F=force, G=gravity, m=mass, M=Mass,
r=radius, R=Radius, w=wavelength, W=Wavelength
According to Philly, electrons are gravitons,
and gravitons are electrons.
LIGO CALTECH MIT have the long version.
Read fast.
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i read that too, the interactions of gravitons,
the interactions of electrons, founded by Ben.
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"the Spirit of truth will make them naked"
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Benjamin Franklin gladly graces my impecunious wallet every blue moon. Benjamin Franklin is also credited for discovering that lightning is a source of electrical energy. He was famous for the first published almanac, Poor Richard's Almanac. He invented bifocals, the lightning rod, and the furnace stove.
Unfortunately, Ben Franlin wanted the United States to speak German and replace the Bald Eagle, the US's national symbol/animal, with a Turkey! Incredible!
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Franklin's reason for favoring the turkey was that eagles are scavengers. He described them as of "bad" (or was it "low?") "moral character," which does seem rather harsh [:)] .
We have wild turkeys walking through the field that surrounds our house. They are beautiful. Turkeys are also involved parents; the whole "family" walks around together, and the mothers fuss over the little ones. They were reintroduced to Connecticut about thirty years ago, I believe it was, after being hunted out of the state in the late 1800s, and are finding homes as a lot of the former farmland is reverting to the forest New England wants to be.
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True, but whilst Eagles might be scavengers, no one has them for dinner !
"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
- Groucho Marx
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Benjamin Franklin was mostly good news. He was a brilliant amateur scientist, a clever inventor (the Franklin stove), a persistent diplomat credited by many with bringing the French into the Revolutionary War, resulting in American independence. His long diplomatic stay in France, where he apparently dallied with many French babes, deprived his wife of his company for many years, until her death shortly before his return. To me this is a sad lape on his part, though many males are guilty of such behavior. It can perhaps be partly excused by his devotion to the patriot cause, except for the lack of faithfulness.
He played an important rule during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 as "elder statesman", reminding the participants that the hopes of their countrymen rested on their shoulders, and that compromises would be essential to success. While bitterly disappointed that the resulting document allowed slavery to continue, he stood by it as the best that could be done without shattering the new nation into two parts- which happened 77 years later anyway.
His corny proverbs from "Poor Richard's Almanac" still survive, but I think those are the least important parts of his legacy.
chris wiegard
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" Benjamin Franklin was mostly good news. He was a brilliant amateur scientist, a clever inventor"
Yes he was also a good printer, one of his stories related to Franklin's temperence he was nicknamed the Water American, but how about this the printers had some sort of, deal with the proprieters whereby they could drink ale, and claimed because of the natural ingredients, and hence health benefits, anyway Franklin sets about diluting wheat etc to see how much was absorbed, it was not well received by the workers!
He also carried a hollow cane which he filled with oil, to see if his theory of placing oil on water, worked to still the waters, he was ever ready, oh and his letters to those said babes are quite amusing, he also he confesses initially spent time with ladies of the lower classes, to learn the ways of women, so he then knew of their ways.
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Benjamin franklin also invented a musical instrument called a harmonium, its like a load of glass bowls on a central spindle,they rotate driven by a foot pedal and works the same way as a wine glass, you wet your fingers,pedal then touch the rim of a bowl, bingo a note.the whole thing is in his house in west london.
every village has one !
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Most importantly-
Ben Franklin invented flippers![:D][:D]
where would SCUBA divers be without him?
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dont be silly ariel,dolfins had flippers millions of years before ben turned up
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi48.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ff238%2Frayhinton56%2Frap_2.gif&hash=d5b9229081bcd3803402f5b95c8bade2)
RE-HAB IS FOR QUITTERS.
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ben is pretty ancient
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Hi Ray,
The harmonium is a reed instrument:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonium
The instrument you are referring to (above) is a glass harmonica:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_harmonica
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hi robert yep your right,the harmonium is a reed instrument,its from india,the armonica,please see photo was invented by Benjamin Franklin,and resides in his house in west london.
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi48.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ff238%2Frayhinton56%2Farmonica.jpg&hash=2847a6d093c960f475563fba4ba72b50)
RE-HAB IS FOR QUITTERS.
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He was not related to Rosalind Franklin