Student Article
Benjamin Franklin’s Bright Ideas: From Lightning Rods to Bifocals
Invention (noun): A new device, idea, or method created through imagination and skill.
Catheter (noun): A thin, flexible tube that doctors use to help move fluids in or out of the body.
Legacy (noun): Something handed down from one generation to the next.
Did you know the man on the U.S. $100 bill wasn’t just a Founding Father — he was also a science-loving inventor who changed the world? Benjamin Franklin was curious about everything, and that curiosity led to incredible discoveries and inventions that people still use today.
Franklin’s famous kite experiment
In the mid-1700s, Franklin retired from business and turned to science. One of his biggest questions was about electricity — what it was and how it worked. In 1752, he tried a bold experiment: flying a kite during a thunderstorm with a key attached to the string. When the key picked up an electric charge from the storm, Franklin proved that lightning is a form of electricity! This famous kite experiment made him a scientific superstar.
Franklin’s inventions made life easier
Franklin also invented many things to make life easier. The lightning rod was one of his most important creations. By placing a metal rod on top of a building and connecting it to the ground, he helped stop lightning from causing fires. Even King George III had them installed on royal buildings!
Other cool inventions!
* Bifocals: Special glasses for people who need help seeing both near and far.
* The Franklin stove: A better, safer fireplace that used less wood and produced more heat.
* Swimming fins: Franklin loved to swim and made paddles to help him move faster in the water.
* The long arm: A clever tool to help him grab books from high shelves.
* A flexible urinary catheter: A more comfortable version of a medical tool for his sick brother.
* Divided soup bowl: A bowl designed for sailors so their soup wouldn’t slosh over on a rocking ship.
* Glass armonica: A musical instrument made from spinning glass bowls that even Beethoven wrote music for!
Franklin’s legacy of generosity and creativity
Best of all, Franklin never tried to get rich from his inventions. He believed that ideas should be shared freely to help others. He once said, “We should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours.”
Thanks to his brilliant mind and generous spirit, Benjamin Franklin left behind a legacy of learning, problem-solving, and imagination that continues to inspire today.
© Jonny Wilkes / www.historyextra.com
Invention (noun): A new device, idea, or method created through imagination and skill.
Catheter (noun): A thin, flexible tube that doctors use to help move fluids in or out of the body.
Legacy (noun): Something handed down from one generation to the next.