beamjockey: Drawing of Bill of the Heterodyne Boys by Phil Foglio. (Default)
beamjockey ([personal profile] beamjockey) wrote2006-01-12 05:30 pm

Ben Franklin: Run-Up to Birthday 300

Here are some cool links concerning Ben Franklin. The birthday falls next Tuesday.

The Franklin Tercentenary homepage is at http://www.benfranklin300.org.

Robert A. Morse has instructions on duplicating Franklin's experiments, and making equipment to do so out of modern materials-- Leyden Jars made from film canisters, aluminum foil, and paper clips, for example. (Thanks to [livejournal.com profile] shimgray for finding this.)

Franklin invented a marvelous musical instrument based on the eerie ringing sound emitted when the rim of a wine glass is rubbed. It's known as the Armonica or "Glass Harmonica".

Franklin studied the broad current of warm water in the North Atlantic and gave the Gulf Stream its name.

[identity profile] mia-mcdavid.livejournal.com 2006-01-13 12:31 am (UTC)(link)
Wow! The Armonica link even has sound samples! I've always wondered what one of those sounds like.

Very cool!

[identity profile] gomeza.livejournal.com 2006-01-13 01:47 am (UTC)(link)
I have wanted a glass Armonica for a very long time. I don't think I have it in me to make one, though.