science · 03 October 1716 · 308 years ago
birth
Born 3 Oct 1716; died 27 May 1781 at age 64.
Giambatista (orig. Francesco) Beccaria was an Italian physicist who spread knowledge of Benjamin Franklin's discoveries with electricity, which he extended with his own research. He designed an electrical thermometer and investigated the relative powers of parallel plate condensers (capacitors). He formed explanations for meteorological and geophysical phenomena in terms of “natural electricity.” With his students, he experimentally probed the atmosphere with metal poles, kites and rockets. He published his work in five books.
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