nature.net
June 2006
Ben’s 300th
By Robert Anderson
Years ago, when I was walking through the Paris neighborhood of St.-Germain-des-Prés, a bronze plaque caught my attention. More precisely, it was the name that caught my eye: Benjamin Franklin. On September 3, 1783, the plaque noted, at 56 Rue Jacob, Franklin, John Jay, and John Adams signed the Treaty of Paris, George III’s formal recognition of the colonies’ independence.
Only now, however, as I check out the Web sites that mark the 300th anniversary of Franklin’s birth, have I come to fully appreciate how he reached that triumphant moment. Although Franklin was a well-spoken gentleman and a successful businessman, his fame as a scientist was his entrée to European society. It gave him the clout to secure the French aid so critical to keeping the War of Independence afloat. Thus his experiments with electricity led, albeit indirectly, to the birth of the United States.
Not surprisingly, Franklin, one of the most widely recognized Americans of his age, has a huge Web presence. Start with The Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary, created by a consortium of Philadelphia-based institutions. The section titled “Useful Knowledge” delves into his scientific accomplishments. Back on the main menu bar, click “Et Cetera” and you’ll find a link to the best list of annotated Franklin links on the Internet.
Franklin continued to dabble in science while representing Pennsylvania in London from 1757 until 1775. The Franklin Institute, a Philadelphia science museum famous for hands-on learning, has Benjamin Franklin's Self-Guided Tour of his contributions. At the American Philosophical Society (our nation’s oldest science institution, founded by Franklin in 1743), a special exhibit, The Priness & the Patriot, focuses on Franklin’s little-known relationship with a Russian princess named Ekaterina Dashkova forged to promote the exchange of scientific knowledge.
At The Electric Ben Franklin click on “The Kite Experiment” for a rundown on his work on electricity. The Public Broadcasting Corporation has an interactive version of Franklin’s most famous experiment, where you can fly a virtual kite yourself using diverse materials in a variety of weather conditions. (On PBS’s Franklin page click on “Explore” and then on the unit “How Shocking.”) Contrary to popular belief, lightning was not involved in Franklin’s experiment. He knew enough to avoid it.
My favorite Franklin site, however, Benjamin Franklin and Electrostatics, was created by one Robert A. Morse while a fellow at the Wright Center for Science Education at Tufts University. In nine lessons titled “Ben Franklin As My Lab Partner,” Morse explains how to reproduce Franklin’s electrostatic experiments. The lessons are accompanied by thirteen video clips that show how to build the apparatus with ordinary items such as aluminum foil, Christmas tinsel, pencils, and Styrofoam cups. If all the grade school science teachers across the country exposed their students to the fun of these lessons, Franklin’s scientific contributions might gain the broad appreciation they deserve. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Ben’s 300th birthday than generating a few sparks.
Robert Anderson is a freelance science writer living in Los Angeles.
Copyright © Natural History Magazine, Inc., 2006