Ben Franklin Scientist - today is the day he flew his kite

relayer

On this day, June 15

1752: Benjamin Franklin and his son conduct the famous experiment involving a kite and key during a thunderstorm, confirming Franklin's theory that lightning is electrical.

mhammerman

Flag Day then Kite Day, one right after another. Excellent pick-up on this historic date!!!

Coin on!

LanLord

Are you sure that's not commorating the gay rodeo?

DickyBetz

There is no way that he could have lived if he had actually been holding the kite when it was struck by lighting. With that amount of voltage going straight through the string, down into the key, then down the string into his arm, then into his heart, he would have never lived. The electricity would not have stopped in the key either. The electrons would keep traveling until they had a medium large enough to disperse through, such as the ground which could only be achieved by going straight through Franklin. So, he either tied it to something or had a servant hold the string and die.

novacaesarea

Interesting DickyBetz.

I am a big fan of Franklin. One of my favorite Numismatic possessions is a bronze potraiture of Franklin with a coonskin hat when he was in Paris made by the famous French Sculptor "Nini".

When Franklin went to Paris to secure loans for the American Revolution, it was kind of like the Beatles coming to America. He was the man who tamed electricity, he was charming and a lady's man. He was a muscian with an instrument he invented called the Armonica. Anyway, Nini found a great market for these bronze and more commonly tera-cotta Franklin medalic portrits. They are considered Betts medals and aggresively collected.

Anyway, just a Franklin and Numismatic note. I have another I will share if there is any interest in this post.

Best,

novacaesarea

TheHamr

<< <i>Are you sure that's not commorating the gay rodeo? >>



LMAO !!!

Coindexter

<< <i>There is no way that he could have lived if he had actually been holding the kite when it was struck by lighting. With that amount of voltage going straight through the string, down into the key, then down the string into his arm, then into his heart, he would have never lived. The electricity would not have stopped in the key either. The electrons would keep traveling until they had a medium large enough to disperse through, such as the ground which could only be achieved by going straight through Franklin. So, he either tied it to something or had a servant hold the string and die. >>



The show "Myth Busters" on the Discovery Channel did an episode about this very topic. It was pretty good. Worth checking out if you happen upon the rerun. Netflix has the series on DVD if anyone happens to be a member.

MrSpud

If I remember correctly, Franklin didn't fly a kite during a fullblown thunderstorm and the kite didn't get struck by lightning. Rather, he flew a kite into a cloud and verified that the electrical charge there behaved the same as static electricity that he generated in his lab.

Jcarney

I really don't know if it's true, but supposedly Franklin carried out his kite experiment in the township where I live. We're a suburb of Philadelphia.

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