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Ben Franklin the weatherman: an early landmark work on meteorology...
Ben Franklin the weatherman: an early landmark work on meteorology...
Item # 704434
October 01, 1766
THE LONDON MAGAZINE, England, October, 1766
* Benjamin Franklin as 1st weatherman ?
* Meteorological - climatologist - climate
Inside has four pages taken up with a paper written by Ben Franklin, read by him at the Royal Society in London in 1756. It was not put to print until 1765.
The essay is headed: "Physical and Meteorological Observations, Conjectures, and Suppositions, by Benjamin Franklin, L.L.D. and F.T.S. Read before the Royal Society June 3, 1756". In it Franklin addressed the weather conditions which form large whirlwinds in the atmosphere. “...Thus these eddies may be whirlwinds at land, waterspouts at sea...”. He conjectured that these were formed by air ascending or descending that had attained a circular motion. The air within receded: “...from the middle of the circle by a centrifugal force, and leaving there a vacancy; if descending, greatest above, and lessening downwards; if ascending, greatest below, and lessening upwards; like a speaking trumpet standing its big end on the ground. When the air descends with violence in some places, it may rise with equal violence in others, and form both kinds of whirlwinds...” and so much more.
Complete in 54 pages, however note that the full title/contents page is lacking, this issue beginning with the smaller masthead at the top of the first page. Measures 5 by 8 inches, minor repair at the spine, very nice condition.
Category: The 1600's and 1700's
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