Edward Nairne facts for kids
Edward Nairne (1726 – 1 September 1806) was a clever English inventor and maker of scientific tools. He created many important devices, like special machines that made electricity, improved microscopes, and even the first successful barometer for ships. He also helped introduce rubber erasers to Europe!
Contents
Edward Nairne: A Life of Invention
Early Life and Career
Edward Nairne was born in Sandwich, England. When he was about 15, in 1741, he started learning from an optician named Matthew Loft. An optician is someone who makes and sells optical tools like telescopes and microscopes. After Loft passed away in 1748, Edward Nairne opened his own business in London. His shop was at 20 Cornhill.
In 1774, Edward Nairne took on his own student, Thomas Blunt, as a business partner. They worked together until 1793, when Blunt opened his own shop nearby.
Amazing Inventions
Edward Nairne was always thinking of new ideas and ways to improve things. He invented several machines that created electricity.
The Electric Machine
One of his most famous inventions was an electrostatic generator. This machine used a glass cylinder to create static electricity. It could produce either positive or negative electricity. Nairne even thought this machine could help with certain health problems. He believed electricity could be useful for many conditions, like nervous issues or aches.
Improving Microscopes
Nairne also made better versions of the microscope. He designed a portable microscope that could be carried in a special case. He called it a "chest microscope." This made it easier for scientists to take their tools with them.
The Sea Barometer
In the early 1700s, Edward Nairne built the first successful marine barometer. A barometer measures air pressure, which helps predict the weather. A marine barometer is special because it needs to work well on a moving ship. Nairne made his barometer more stable by hanging it on gimbals, which are special pivots that keep an instrument level. His first marine barometer was even used on James Cook's second voyage to the South Pacific.
The Rubber Eraser
You might be surprised to learn that Edward Nairne also played a part in the history of erasers! Before rubber was used, people used breadcrumbs to rub out pencil marks. In 1770, Edward Nairne started selling small cubes of natural rubber at his shop. These cubes were meant to be erasers. They were quite expensive, costing three shillings for a small half-inch cube! Nairne said he accidentally picked up a piece of rubber instead of breadcrumbs and discovered how well it erased.
A Friend of Benjamin Franklin
Edward Nairne was well-known around the world for his work. He often wrote articles for the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. He became a member of this important scientific group in 1776.
He also wrote letters to Benjamin Franklin, a famous American scientist and inventor. Nairne made magnets and a telescope for Franklin around 1758. In 1770, Franklin helped Nairne become a member of the American Philosophical Society, which Franklin had started. Franklin also recommended Nairne to supply instruments for Harvard University after their collection was damaged by fire.
Edward Nairne passed away on September 1, 1806, in London, England.
Gallery
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Telescope by Nairne, London, late 1700s
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Nairne & Blunt barometer, ca 1780, in the collection of The Mariners' Museum
External articles
- General
- "Nairne and Blunt Electrostatic Generator". The Bakken, June, 2004.
- Publications
- Nairne, Edward, "Directions for using the electrical machine; ". London, 1764. (ed. engraved by J. Couse; Advertisement)
- Nairne, Edward, "Description of the electric machine". Paris, 1784.
- Nairne, Edward, "The description and use of Nairne's patent electrical machine : with the addition of some philosophical experiments and medical observations". London (Nairne and Blunt), 1783. LCCN 85664571 //r90
