Tag Archives: science

Turning Urine into Gold and Hennig Brand’s “Folly”

Posted on May 23, 2022 by Regina Jeffers

Hennig Brand, (flourished 1670, Hamburg [Germany]), was a German chemist (alchemist, really) who, through his discovery of phosphorus, became the first known discoverer of an element. The Famous Scientists website (see link below) provides us a bit about Brand’s personal life. “In his … Continue reading →

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Jodrell Bank Observatory, England’s First “Proper” Space Observatory

Posted on August 18, 2021 by Regina Jeffers

With all the recent news stories on UFOs and aliens, I thought it might be interesting to explore one of the early observatories. — that of Jodrell Bank. The observatory was originally called the Jodrell Bank Experimental Station. It is … Continue reading →

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What Does a Renown French Astronomer Have to Do with the Release of “Mr. Darcy’s Bet?” + a Giveaway

Posted on September 25, 2019 by Regina Jeffers

Charles Messier was born in Badonviller on 26 June 1730 in the Lorraine region of France. He was the tenth of twelve children. Six of his siblings died young. Messier’s interest in astronomy was fired by, first, the Great Comet … Continue reading →

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How Did Smith Brothers Cough Drops Get Its Name?

Posted on January 14, 2019 by Regina Jeffers

William (Trade) and Andrew (Mark) were the sons of James Smith, who moved his family from St. Armand, Quebec, to Poughkeepsie, New York in 1847. A carpenter by trade, Smith meant to open a restaurant, Smith’s Dining Saloon, in his … Continue reading →

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Victorian Astronomer, Francis Baily

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

Francis Baily (28 April 1774 – 30 August 1844) was an English astronomer, most famous for his observations of ‘Baily’s beads’ during an eclipse of the Sun. Life Baily was born at Newbury in Berkshire in 1774 to Richard Baily. … Continue reading →

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Victorian Celebrities: Thomas Henderson, First Person to Measure the Distance to Alpha Centauri

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Regina Jeffers

A Scottish astronomer and mathematician, Thomas James Alan Henderson (28 December 1798 – 23 November 1844) was the first person to measure the distance to Alpha Centauri, the major component of the nearest stellar system to Earth, and for being … Continue reading →

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