His teachers called him lazy.
His teachers called him lazy.
Léon Foucault
Léon Foucault was born in Paris, France, on September 18, 1819.
He made his first major scientific
discovery in the 1850s, when
he exhibited experimental proof of the earth's rotation using Foucault's Pendulum.
In 1852, he further
demonstrated the earth's
rotation with a gyroscope.
In 1862, he became the first to accurately identify the speed of light.
He died
on February 11, 1868, in
Paris, France.
Discoveries and Inventions
While working under Donné, Foucault discovered a means of taking photos through the lens of a
microscope.
In the process, he
invented a strong source of light for illuminating his microscopic subjects.
In 1845, Foucault took over
Donné's position as editor
of the scientific newspaper Journal des Débats.
Foucault made his first major scientific discovery in the early 1850s, when he exhibited experimental
proof of the earth's
rotation through the use of a pendulum, aptly dubbed Foucault's Pendulum.
In 1852, he extrapolated
on this principal by
demonstrating the earth's rotation with a gyroscope.
Three years later, Foucault earned the Copley
Medal of the Royal Society
for his efforts in proving Earth's diurnal rotation.
In 1855, Foucault was appointed physicist by the Imperial Observatory, where he experimented with
improvements to telescope
technology (including the use of silvered concave mirrors) and land-surveying equipment.
In 1862, Foucault became the first to accurately identify the speed of light.
He did so by using a rotating
mirror in an enclosed
space.
Afterward, his experiments became increasingly focused on precision engineering.
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