Spice In Science

I was going through one of my books, SPICE IN SCIENCE, an unusual book replete with interesting incidents, funny situations, memorable events, and little known facts from the lives of great scientists, mathematicians. I found a few incidents really impressive and just thought I might share it with you. Some light-hearted fun after a really serious post.

Too young!

Max Planck was made a full Professor at the University of Berlin at an unusually early age. One day, having forgotten where he had been assigned for a lecture, he stopped at the University office to find out.

“Please tell me,” he asked the elderly man-in charge, ”in which room does Professor Planck lecture today?”

The old man patted him on the shoulder.” Don’t go there, young fellow” he advised. “You are much too young to understand the lectures of our Professor Planck!”

Bell’s Bell

The telephone did not ring so easily for Alexander Graham Bill.

March 10, 1876. Bell was experimenting with his able assistant, Watson. They were working on new developments they proposed in the telephone. The men were in 2 different rooms. As usual, rooms were not tidy with wires running helter-skelter and batteries and bells all around.

While Bell was trying to fix something, a battery tripped and acid spilled all over Bell’s clothes. Bell shouted “ Watson! Come here ! I want you!”. Watson came running. Bell wondered why he came over. Watson told him that he heard every heard of his from the other room. That was the beginning of transmitted human speech.

Bell died on August 2, 1922. On the day of his burial, all telephone services in the US stopped for one minute in his honour.

The Young Genius

Robert Oppenheimer was a genius from childhood. He was in love with geology at an early age and had a great collection of rock specimens and a library of geology books. Robert wrote letters to many professors in geology all over America to clarify doubts or gain more knowledge. Cleverly, he had them typewritten, so that they would not treat him like a child because of his hand-writing!. He was elected a member of the New York Mineralogical club at the age of 11! Apparently he was the only member below the age of 60 at that time.

After a year, he was invited to give a lecture at the club. Naturally, he was afraid. He asked his father to tell the truth to the club, or tell them that he was ill.His father, however encouraged him and took him to the club on the appointed day. The professors and other members were all shocked twice, first to find the boy speaker and then to listen to the boy speaking with authority on minerals!!