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by Steve Graham • August 8, 1999  While popularly known for his role as
one of the United States’ founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin was also a
renowned scientist who made a number of substantial contributions in the
field of Earth science. Affectionately known as Dr. Franklin (even
though he never received his Ph.D.), he published numerous scientific
papers—mostly on electricity. Franklin became a scientist because he
was insatiably curious about the world around him. He wanted to know how
things worked and figure out ways to make them better.
In 1743, Franklin compared weather observations in letters he received from friends in other colonies. He was one of the first to observe that North American storms tend to move from west to east, and predicted that a storm's course could be plotted. He even made some of the first-recorded weather forecasts in his Poor Richard’s Almanac, a 25-year publication that Franklin first published in 1732 under the pseudonym of Richard Saunders.
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 On the Shoulders of Giants
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Bottom: Franklin and his son, William, performing their legendary experiment in the midst of a thunderstorm. Courtesy Library of Congress | ||
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In 1752, Franklin, along with his son William, performed his famous
kite-flying experiment which proved that lightning is a
naturally-occurring electrical phenomenon. The kite was constructed with
a sharp metallic wire situated on top and at the end of the kite string,
and a key tied to the end of the string with a silk ribbon. When
Franklin saw loose threads on the kite string stand up, he grounded the
makeshift insulated conductor by touching his knuckle to the metal key
on the string. Consequently, he observed a passing spark between his
knuckle and the key, which presented the final proof of lightning's
electrical nature. Miraculously, the charge was not strong enough to be
fatal to Franklin or his son. (Under normal circumstances, a lightning
strike can instantly kill any individuals bold enough to fly a kite
during a thunderstorm.)