Extended Abstract (96K)1.1
Revisiting Benjamin Franklin and his role as America's first geoscientist
Paul Ruscher, Florida State Univ., Tallahassee, FL
Benjamin Franklin is well known to all meteorologists for his experimentation in lightning as well as many other aspects. He is of great interest for many reasons that are lessor known, including his views on the importance of a scientifically literate society, development of a systematic experimental approach to scientific thought (of his day), profiting from his ideas, basis vs. applied research, and dissemination of scientific findings.
Much research on Franklin has been done recently in honor of the tercentenary of his birth in 2006, and this has created new interest in other aspects of one of our "Founding Fathers" who also happened to be quite astute in his applications of others' scientific principles to practical societal matters.
This paper will survey some of Franklin's interesting observations and experiments (not related to lightning), culled from more recent writings by historical scholars.
Session 1, Weather and climate in early US history
Tuesday, 22 January 2008, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM, 211
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