[meteorite-list] On the Father of Meteoritics (Warning - Original Radical Theory)
From: MexicoDoug <mexicodoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 23 Oct 2011 04:08:04 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <8CE5F720608771B-1C78-42BCA_at_Webmail-d108.sysops.aol.com> Dear List, an account of the coming of age of Chladni which may rock the boat a bit: "When in the course of scientific endeavors it becomes necessary for one scientist to dissolve the bonds which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the God-given phenomenon of meteoritics entitle them, a decent dignity for one's inventions requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation...." Such was the case for Ernst F. F. Chladni, who quite abruptly focused his interest in "fathering" meteoritics in the early 1790's: an accomplished musician and musical instrument designer with an interest in waves, electricity, and physics. He suddenly dedicated some time to a radical theory of meteoritics; the question is....What *sparked* his sudden and intensive, obsessive-compulsive interest? No one really knows, excepts, perhaps the Shadow. Read on please, for my theory after a discusson wih my Shadow... First we must define what exactly was on Chladni's mind during those years and more importantly what was his mindset? Well, he was recovering from a failed attempt to promote his musical instrument which he toured playing in hope to gain some recognition. His instrument never became popular. The reason was not because it was bad ... but rather because there was a superior instrument that displaced it in public events all the time. By 1790, he gave it up, and quite frustrated he was with his extensive efforts. Chladni's first love was music and acoustics. It is often cited that his interest in meteoritics was suddenly fomented by conversations with Georg Christoph Lichtenberg in 1791-1793. But Lichtenberg himself had nothing to say about it, despite making notes of the meetings and commenting that Chladni was working on a new musical instrument to supplant his previous failed one. A world away lived the bane of Chladni's existence, until his death in 1790: one Dr. Benjamin Franklin, American genius, and the antithesis of everything Chladni socially was... Franklin was the model of an brilliant human being, even able to have the French aristocracy eat out of his hand while founding the United States of America, all in his spare time while he pursued intellectual pursuits of everything and frequently made great scientific advancements with a sort of Midas' Touch with only a wit that could beat them. Such was the case with the armonica, a musical instrument that was a clever adaptation of sound waves produced by utilizing friction like the rubbing on a wine glass which allowed the simultaneous playing of nearly a dozen notes. This musical instrument precisely was the one that displaced Chladni's who otherwise might have found more success. Franklin's instrument was an American contribution to Europe that even the great composers wrote parts for as Chladni's own foundered. How frustrating it must have been. At heart, Dr. Franklin was truly a scientist and had managed some of the most truly remarkable experiments and even was credited as being the father of electricity after harnassing the meteorological phenomenon of lightning and proving exactly what it was: electricity. There was nothing he couldn't do and yet, he always got all the women, fame and power he wished. On the other hand Chladni was forced into a career he had no interest in doing by an overpowering father, had absolutely no luck with the woman and was spurned by his contemporaries when he initially tried to present his ideas to his peers. Bummer to be Chladni in 1790. But Franklin died in 1790. Chladni didn't waste a moment, dropping his failed instrument and immediately appropriated Franklin's armonica a step further and redesigned a new instrument in 1791 he named, immodestly CHLADNI'S EUPHONIUM (basically a synonym for armonica but addiding his name for recognition) he hoped would be superior - and finally, Franklin was dead and unable to wittily comment or compete. It was a prototype of that instrument he was playing for Lichtenberg. After all those years of playing second fiddle, it was only natural that Franklin's scientific triumphs were a subject of discussion; after all the new instrument was a direct improvement on Franklin's intended to supplant it at best... and victory would be as sweet as waking among the muses, especially for Chladni who was trained as a lawyer with all the benefits and vices that the practice of law breeds. One noteable subject of Franklin's successes was in meteorology, and especially legendary, regarding the proof that lightning bolts were composed of electricity. Franklin also went on record saying meteors were probably an electrical phenomenon as well. Well, these strange rocks were turning up at that time and there were murmurs that they came from the sky. Chladni became obsessed with making his mark (and in the process showing Franklin was wrong) by choosing the other light phenomenon - meteors - just as Franklin had chosen a phenomenon, just as Franklin had inspired his instrument - in hopes finally making a reputation for himself and perhaps a dab of revenge for all those years lost with his instrument due to Franklin superior design. Motive in any investigation is always sought. Need Chladni more motive? ;-) He released his first improved design utilizing Franklin's armonica concepts directly, suddenly became obsessed with with proving meteors were not electrical phenomena but rather rocks; immersed himself in the library for a couple of months in a mission (much like many contemporary meteorite folk we've seen battle it out on the list when one scoops the other on a new fall), published his book and in the process of his madness made the assertion that the rocks came from space, a true contribution; and then was immediately ridiculed and mocked ... his contemporaries new what he was up to and this attenuated the believability of his work. Then immdiatey after publishing, he dropped meteorites, never to return again to the field and gort to work building a new second generation musical instrument. Both instruments he designed and built in the 1790's met with success and Chladni finally could gain some respect he earned after a lifetime of brandishing by fire. The above theory would explain motivation and why Chladni's work in meteoritics was as efemeral as the meteors themselves. We should say a little more about Ben's beliefs and how they potentially influenced Chladni, as clearly, the American Philosophical Society, founded by Franklin who was the first president published a Journal just like the Liondon Society, and the Journal was undoubtably read by Chladni. The first president of the Society was Franklin, and he was followed by the great Astronomer Early American astronomer David Rittenhouse, as the second president, who predated much of Chladni's idea on cosmic origins and as the successor of Franklin, undoubtably would have been an interesting subject of study for Chladni as he studied those late nights in the library for that intriguingly brief period of time. As a matter of fact, Chladni himself said Lichtenberg told him to immerse himself reading Philosophical Transactions in the library. What were the Americans saying about meteors that might tip off Chladni and that Lichtenberg definitely read as well? Let me quote a passage of a post I made to the List in 2006 excerping a letter from Rittenhouse to Franklin, and to comment that Franklin likely had a friendly rivalry with Rittenhouse as to the cosmic origin of meteorites and predated Chladni's "original" contribution by a number of years: "Ben believed for a time that meteors were also caused by electricity, however his contemporary, the great Astronomer Early American astronomer David Rittenhouse, had other thoughts and most obviously discussed them at length with Franklin. They were both founders and officers in the American Philosophical Society - the Innovative and incomparable Academic Ivory Tower in the unique American tradition of their time responsible for adding scientific thought to the American Revolution and much beyond...Upon Franklin's death, Rittenhouse became the second president of the Society until his own death five years later. Eleven years before Ben's death, On "All Hallow's Eve", October 31, 1779, Rittenhouse had witnessed a 30-second bolide accompanied by sonic booms near Philadelphia, where he was the head of the University of Pennsylvania's Astronomy department...as the war of American Independence was still in Gear... Rittenhouse described the event in a letter purportedly to Franklin: "Leaving behind it a bright trail of light of a fine Silver Color, which continued Visible about 20 minutes, altho' but half an hour after Sunset, and then gradually disappeared, after changing from a Strait line to a very crooked one. [Meteors are] bodies altogether foreign to this Earth, but meeting with it, in its Annual Orbit, are attracted by it, and on entering our Atmosphere take fire and are exploded, something in the manner Steel filings are, on passing thro' the flame of a Candle. [It made a] glorious appearance at the distance of a few miles, yet from its prodigious Magnitude it must have been quite terrible. [Had the] Cataract fallen on the plain where on Philadelphia stands, half its inhabitants would probably been [sic] drowned." In the absence of the word "bolide", a cataract most certainly is the best word choice available to describe the phenomenon. It was brighter than the Sun, "a half hour after Sunset". " Chladni clearly couldn't make it on his own, and found it easier to But I could be wrong - though I don't mind championing the theory though there may be a few hole in it that doesnt mean it isn't a very good explanation ;-), I just wish I had more time to research my logical assertations. PS Franklin actually must have a smile in his grave now that we know meteors in fact are an electrical phenomenon. Kindest wishes Franklin's Heirs Received on Sun 23 Oct 2011 04:08:04 AM PDT |
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