10 Scientific Experiments That Were Ahead Of Their Time

Who knew that the mere act of falling off an Apple or passing white light through a glass prism would result in redefining the fundamentals of Science. Science is no less than a mystery, the more you indulge in it, the closer you get to finding a missing piece of a puzzle. As a result of various scientific experiments conducted in history has led to the formation of this entire discipline. In fact, some of which were conducted way ahead of their time, for example, we bet you did not know that the first electric car was made in 1891! Shocking right! Do you want to know more about such experiments? Let us wear our lab coats and get started with this blog!

Measuring the Circumference of the Earth 

The profound Greek scholar Eratosthenes who is also known as the father of Geography calculated the circumference of the earth back around 276 BC. Back at the time, he trusted the belief that the Earth was spherical, which helped him in calculating its circumference. He estimated the distance between two cities and multiplied it by 50 to calculate the exact curvature of the earth. Finally, he precisely concluded that the circumference of the earth is 250,000 states. 

Discovery of Blood Circulation

In the year 1628, William Harvey presented a revolutionary scientific theory through various experiments stating- Liver constantly makes new blood by the food we eat and it separately flows in the body in two separate streams, one from the lungs containing oxygen and the blood that is soaked by tissues doesn’t return back to the heart. He devised this theory by experimenting on various animals. 

Contact Lenses 

Our list of scientific experiments that were ahead of their time would be incomplete without including this marvellous contribution of Rene Descartes. The contact lenses that help us read and get rid of those nerdy spectacles were discovered by the great mind in the year 1632. He used a different name to refer to them and defined them as glass tubes filled with liquid that can be placed directly in contact with the cornea.

Also Read: Branches of Science

Electric Cars 

We are sure you must be enticed by those luxurious electric cars. But do you know that they were discovered in the year 1891 via hit and trial experiment method? William Morrison was an American dentist and inventor who is famous for inventing the cotton candy machine. He had an excellent knowledge of Chemistry and conducted random experiments every now and then. At a given point, a storage battery became the centre of his research and he concentrated on how to produce the most available energy for a unit of weight for efficiency in the working of an individual battery cell which further led to the invention of the electric cell. An electrical car that could carry six passengers at one time and would run at a speed of 14 miles per hour. 

Light Bulbs 

The shiny bulbs that we use every now and then are recorded as one of the most important scientific experiments that ignited the fire of curiosity amongst all. More than 3,000 bulbs were made and tested in the year 1878- 1880 by Thomas Alva Edison and his research mates. Till date, there are revisions going in the fundamental model of the electric device to make it more efficient. 

Want to know more about light bulbs?
Read our blog on Education of Thomas Alva Edison and find out!

Transfer of Genes 

Astonishing people over the period of 1855- 1863 by making them understand the transfer of genetics over the family tree, Gregor Mendel carried out one of the most revolutionary science experiments. Following the path of his professor, Mendel started cross-breeding various types of fruits and vegetables obtaining different combinations of colours and tastes that help him conclude that genes are travelled from one generation to another. 

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Determining the Charge of an Electron

Plenty of discoveries and scientific experiments have been possible because of the negatively charged energy that an electron possesses. Robert Millikan in 1908 discovered charge of an electron using an experiment based on jars full of water vapours. Along with this the oil drop experiment ultimately helped him to conclude that an electron possesses a charge of its own. 

Umbrellas 

Prior to the 18th century, there was no such concept called umbrellas! Around the 1750s, a man named Jonas Hanway carried an umbrella for the first time. It is believed that at that time umbrellas were considered significant to the female gender, thus, Hanway was made fun of. But later on, in the late 1700s, this technique derived from scientific experiment to combat rain was normalized. 

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Discovery of Radioactivity 

Marie Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel prize in 1903, made a benchmark in the field of science by discovering radioactivity. In her experiment, she used an electrometer to measure the mysterious ways that were emitted by Thorium and Uranium. Analysing the observation of the experiment she stated that the admission of any radiation had nothing to do with the molecular arrangement of the substance. She further added that radioactivity is an inherent property of individual atoms.  

Also Read: Famous Women Scientists

Extraction of Saliva in Animals and Human Beings 

While studying digestion and absorption of food, you must have come across the fact that saliva and various other salivary juices help in the process of digestion. Pavlov’s work broke the common myth of that time that saliva was a reflex that only occurs when a body is in contact with food. Through a  scientific experiment, he came up with the Pavlovian theory that states that this condition is happening to us all the time. 

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