The inventor of the lightning rod - Franklin (World Outstanding Figures Series)

Author: Su Li Xiangyun Jun Wang et al
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-03-16
Features: Franklin was a democrat during the American bourgeois revolution and an American scientist of working-class origin. He was born in Boston in 1790. From a young age, he was intelligent and eager to learn. At the age of 15, he wrote an outstanding prose piece titled "The Song of the Sea." At 17, while traveling by ship to New York, he encountered a severe thunderstorm with lightning and thunder. He did not believe it was "God's anger" and resolved to personally uncover the mystery of lightning. After decades of observation and experimentation, he finally proved that lightning is actually an electrical discharge phenomenon, which he called "Thunder and Lightning Divorcing God." This was one of the most brilliant chapters in Franklin's life. His kite experiment attracted attention from the global scientific community. Using principles of electricity, he invented and manufactured the lightning rod. He also had great expertise in optics and invented the bifocal lens. He studied the transmission of smallpox and founded the first public hospital in the United States. In 19 fields of scientific research, including astronomy, geology, chemical engineering, and mechanics, he made discoveries and inventions. Even more remarkable was that he dedicated his spare time to invention and research, working tirelessly wherever he was. While engaged in scientific research, Franklin was also passionate about social and political activities. He organized the American Philosophical Society, founded the first public library in the United States, and established the renowned University of Pennsylvania. During the American Revolutionary War, he risked his personal safety to participate in drafting the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, making outstanding contributions to the war for American independence. In 1790, this tireless man passed away at the age of 84.