In celebration of Ben Franklin’s birthday this month, let’s shine a bit of light on his life.
Although best known as one of our founding fathers, Franklin made a mark in many other areas, too. He was a printer, writer, musician and the inventor of many things. He dabbled in mathematics and mapmaking. And he tested a thing we here at Veteran Energy are thankful for: electricity.
In Franklin’s day, electricity was poorly understood. It was thought to have magical qualities by some. Others thought it might be explained through science.
In 1746, after watching experiments done in Boston, Franklin started to explore the topic himself. By the next year, he was the first to write about the “positive” and “negative” aspects of electricity. It’s because of him, in fact, that we still use those terms. He also put into use the words battery, charge, conductor and condenser.
Franklin’s most famous experiment came in 1752 when he decided to tinker with lightning. By flying a kite into a thunderstorm, he was able to capture an electrical charge in a Leyden jar. He showed that lightning was, in fact, electricity. And though he wasn’t hurt in the experiment, it’s recorded that sparks flew from his hands at one point.
Later, Franklin laid out plans for what would become the lightning rod. The invention directs lightning strikes into the ground and protects buildings from fire. The idea spread fast, and Franklin considered it his most important invention. It’s one that is still used to this day.
At Veteran Energy, we’re thankful for the work done by pioneering minds. It’s the Ben Franklins of the world who have made modern life flourish.
