History of Science

How a Real Life Dr. Frankenstein Inspired Mary Shelly & Birthed Electrobiology

Was there a real Dr. Frankenstein?  Yes, there was, his name was Giovanni Aldini and he actually managed to make corpses move with electricity!  However, the gruesome nature of his experiments obscured the fact that he was an amazing scientist who revolutionized biology and medicine all in the name of familial love!  Ready for both …

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History of the Telegraph: How Samuel Morse Stole It & Became Famous

A scientist named Joseph Henry and a machinist/inventor named Alfred Vail invented the telegraph that transformed the world.  Samuel Morse put their ideas together and gained the fame and the profit.  Morse didn’t do it for money, however.  His inspirations were a strange brew of ego, tragedy and xenophobia.  How could ego, tragedy and xenophobia …

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Who Invented the Telegraph? Joseph Henry, A Bored Math Teacher!

Why would a math teacher named Joseph Henry invent the telegraph?  And didn’t Samuel Morse invent the telegraph?  Well, I’ll tell you and along the way I will talk about a transformative book, the importance of insulating wire, dropping thousands of pounds of weights for fun, the first doorbell, a black assistant named Sam Parker …

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How Drugs Led to Humphry Davy’s Success And The Arc Lamp’s Invention

How in the world would doing drugs lead to success?  And what is the arc lamp and how is that related to this whole mess?  Well, I’ll tell you and along the way I will talk about early 1800s drug parties, science superstars, giant stinky batteries, and chemistry “for the female sex”. Table of Contents …

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Humphry Davy Biography: How Doing Drugs Led To Success & the Arc Lamp

How in the world would doing drugs lead to success?  And what is the arc lamp and how is that related to this whole mess?  Well, I’ll tell you and along the way, I will talk about early 1800s drug parties, science superstars, giant stinky batteries, and chemistry “for the female sex”. Table of Contents …

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How Volta Invented the First Battery because he was Jealous of Galvani’s Frog

How could jealousy lead to an invention?  And why would someone be jealous of a frog?  Well, I’ll tell you and along the way, I will talk about: academic dishonesty, reanimating corpses, scientific rivalries, tingly metals, and Napoleonic politics, and I will also show you how to light a LED bulb with pennies and vinegar …

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How Luigi Galvani Invented The Battery And Made A Dead Frog Jump

How did a Galvani make a dead frog jump?  And how did that lead to the battery?  And, hey, didn’t Volta invent the first battery?  Well, I’ll tell you and along the way I will talk about professional misconduct, a surprising accident, the inspiration for Frankenstein and the building block of life. Table Of Contents …

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How Benjamin Franklin Discovered Electricity

How did Benjamin Franklin discover about electricity?  And what did Franklin discover about electricity once he heard about it? Well, I’ll tell you and along the way I will talk about how we got positive and negative charges, the longest-standing rule of Physics, a terrifying experiment with lightning and a simple mistake that still plagues …

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