| Date | Text | |
|---|---|---|
29 Dec 1800
Joaquín Acosta |
birth Joaquín Acosta Born 29 Dec 1800; died 21 Feb 1852 at age 51. Tomás Joaquín Acosta y Pérez de Guzmán was a Colombian geologist, military engineer and historian who began a military career in 1819. He was sent in 1821 by the government to Choco where it was proposed to build a canal between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. He spent time in Europe (1825-31) where he learned about mineralogy, road building and military engineering. On his return to Colombia, in 1832, he became Chief Engineer of Roads. In 1834, he attempted a scientific survey of the Colombian region between Socorro and the Magdalena River. He served as Chargé d'Affaires in Washington, D.C. (Jul-Nov 1842). His historical research in Spain on the colonial history of Colombia was published in Compendio (1848). Acosta was active in his nation’s various scientific societies. He wrote many historical and scientific books. |
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29 Dec 1800
Charles Goodyear |
birth Charles Goodyear Born 29 Dec 1800; died 1 Jul 1860 at age 59. American inventor who baked rubber mixed with sulphur and discovered the vulcanization process which made rubber practical as a commercial product. Previously, rubber was of limited use since it froze hard in winter and sticky in summer. After years of persistent experimentation, Goodyear had created a tough, cured compound, able to withstand heat and stress. Sadly, he was a poor businessman, unable to profit from his invention or effectively patent it abroad. The “vulcanized” name was applied by English rubber pioneer Thomas Hancock, using the sugggestion of a friend to name the process after Vulcan, the Roman god of fire. Nor was Goodyear ever connected to the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. which was named in his honour. |
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