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Gaston Tissandier facts for kids

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Tissandier, Gaston, par Liébert, BNF Gallica
Gaston Tissandier; photograph by Alphonse Liébert

Gaston Tissandier (born November 21, 1843 – died August 30, 1899) was a talented French scientist. He was a chemist, a meteorologist (someone who studies weather), and an aviator (someone who flies aircraft). He also worked as an editor for a science magazine.

Gaston Tissandier had a brother named Albert Tissandier who was an illustrator. His son, Paul, also became a famous aviator.

Early Life and Interests

Gaston Tissandier was born in Paris in 1843. He studied chemistry and became the head of an experimental laboratory in 1864. He also taught at a school called Association Polytechnique. His interest in weather led him to become very involved in aviation, which is the flying of aircraft.

Adventures in the Sky

Gaston Tissandier's first balloon trip was in Calais in 1868. His balloon floated out over the sea, but luckily, an air current higher up brought it back. In September 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War, Paris was under attack. Gaston bravely escaped the city by balloon.

A Dangerous Journey

His most daring balloon trip happened near Paris in April 1875. He and two friends, Joseph Crocé-Spinelli and Théodore Henri Sivel, flew their balloon to an amazing height of 8,600 meters (about 28,200 feet). This is higher than many mountains! Sadly, the air at that height was too thin to breathe. His two companions passed away, but Gaston Tissandier survived. However, he became deaf from the experience. He later wrote about the symptoms of altitude sickness, which is what happens when your body reacts badly to high altitudes.

First Electric-Powered Flight

Gaston Tissandier was also an inventor. In 1883, he attached a Siemens electric motor to an airship. This was a huge step forward, creating the very first electric-powered flight!

Science and Writing

Gaston Tissandier shared his weather observations with the French Academy of Sciences. In 1873, he started a weekly science magazine called La Nature. He was the editor until 1896, and the magazine continued after he left. He also wrote many books on different topics.

Books for Young Readers

Besides his scientific books, Gaston Tissandier wrote some special books for young people. One famous book was Les récréations scientifiques ou l'enseignement par les jeux (1880). This book was perhaps one of the very first of its kind, showing simple science experiments that anyone could do at home. Parts of this book came from a column in La Nature magazine called "physics without apparatus," which meant doing physics experiments without fancy equipment.

Works

  • Eléments de Chimie (1870)
  • L'Eau (1867)
  • Histoire de mes ascensions récit de quarante voyages aériens (1868-1886) (1887)
  • En ballon! Pendant le siège de Paris. Souvenirs d'un aéronaute (1871)
  • Les Merveilles de la photographie (1874)
  • A history and handbook of photography (La photographie, 1873)
  • Les ballons dirigeables: Application de l'électricité à la navigation aerienne (1885)
  • Histoire des ballons et des aéronautes célèbres (1890)
  • La Tour Eiffel de 300 mètres: description du monument, sa construction, ses organes mécaniques, son but et son utilité (1889)
  • Les récréations scientifiques ou l'enseignement par les jeux (1880)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Gastón Tissandier para niños

  • List of years in aviation
  • List of French inventions and discoveries
  • French space program

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