/oss/taxonomy/term/3786/all en /oss/article/history-general-science/faraday-dickens-and-lighthouses <p>I have a longstanding fascination with Victorian arts and sciences. It was the era when Darwin published the “Origin of the Species,” Perkin synthesized dyes, Lister introduced antiseptic surgery, Conan-Doyle and Charles Dickens thrilled audiences with the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Oliver Twist. It was also the time when Michael Faraday laid the foundations for the practical use of electricity.</p> Fri, 22 Dec 2023 13:18:13 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9771 at /oss /oss/article/student-contributors-you-asked-general-science/candles-what-do-they-emit-when-lit <p>The <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120517112023/http:/www.candles.org/about_history.html">use of candles dates back</a> as far as 3,000 B.C., when ancient Egyptians used papyrus reeds dipped in animal fat that they then lit to use as torches. Similarly, ancient Romans dipped wicks into tallow, a rendered form of animal fat, to create another early form of the candle. Other components of candles include plants, insects, seeds and nuts which have been identified in Chinese, Japanese and Indian civilizations.</p> Fri, 25 Jun 2021 17:25:23 +0000 Cat Wang 8770 at /oss /oss/article/technology-general-science/electricity-streets-were-filled-gas-lights <p>A long, long time ago, before electricity, fire was the only weapon against darkness. Ancient civilizations made use of torches but by 4500 B.C. oil lamps made out of shells or hollow rocks were in use. Candles were introduced some 1500 years later. Oil lamps burned plant- and animal-derived oils, whilst candles burnt wax and tallow. While the light produced was sufficient to read at night, it was too soft and localized to illuminate any significant space.</p> Tue, 17 Dec 2019 16:39:03 +0000 Morgan Sweeney, OSS Contributor 8052 at /oss /oss/article/history/celebrating-christmas-science <p>The Royal Institution was founded in 1800 by leading British scientists under the guidance of Benjamin Thompson “for diffusing the knowledge and facilitating the general introduction of useful mechanical inventions and improvements, and for teaching by courses of philosophical lectures and experiments the application of sciences to the common purposes of life.” Thompson, perhaps better known as Count Rumford, was by all accounts a ruthless, arrogant, cunning, devious, unprincipled womanizer who was also a philanthropist and a clever scientist.</p> Thu, 12 Dec 2019 20:12:22 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8049 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/what-difference-between-regular-candles-and-dripless-candles <p>Candles are one of the oldest forms of generating light. Any flame, of course, is a source of light so candles emerged from a search for materials that could burn for a long time. Nobody knows who first noted that beeswax, beef tallow or spermaceti from whales burned well, but it would not have been a difficult thing to notice. Countless people must have observed that the fatty parts of animals when cooked would sometimes catch fire.</p> Fri, 29 Mar 2019 15:56:43 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7675 at /oss