Student Article

Benjamin Franklin is remembered as one of the most influential figures in American history — not just as a statesman, but also as a brilliant inventor and scientist. While he helped shape the nation through diplomacy and political writing, Franklin also transformed daily life and scientific understanding through his innovative mind.

Franklin’s famous kite experiment

In the mid-18th Century, Franklin shifted his focus from business to science. In 1746, he began investigating electricity, challenging the dominant theory that it flowed as two separate fluids. Instead, he proposed it was a single fluid with positive and negative charges. Franklin introduced many of the terms we still use today in the study of electricity, such as “battery,” “charge,” and “conductor.”

His most iconic scientific moment came in 1752 with the famous kite experiment. According to his own writings, Franklin flew a kite during a thunderstorm with a metal key attached to its string. The experiment aimed to prove that lightning was a form of electricity. When the key became charged and transferred electricity into a Leyden jar (an early device for storing static electricity), Franklin had his confirmation. Although a French scientist conducted a similar test slightly earlier, it was Franklin’s idea that laid the groundwork — and earned the credit.

Franklin’s inventions made life easier

Franklin’s inventions were not just theoretical — they were deeply practical. Concerned with public safety, he created the lightning rod to protect buildings from fire. These rods redirected electrical energy safely into the ground, saving countless homes and structures. Even King George III had them installed at Buckingham Palace.

Franklin never sought patents for his inventions, believing that ideas should benefit all humanity. He once wrote, “As we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously.”

Other cool inventions!

* Bifocals: Glasses combining lenses for distance and reading, which made life easier for those with both near-sightedness and far-sightedness.

* The Franklin stove: A cast-iron heating device that provided more warmth with less smoke and risk than traditional fireplaces.

* Swimming fins: Designed when he was just 11 years old, these helped him swim faster and showed his early passion for innovation.

* The long arm: A reaching tool for grabbing books from high shelves, showing his commitment to reading even in old age.

* A flexible urinary catheter: Inspired by his brother’s suffering from kidney stones, Franklin created a less painful version of the medical device using silver and flexible joints.

* Divided soup bowl: A bowl designed to reduce spills on rocking ships by allowing soup to drain into smaller side compartments.

* Glass armonica: A musical instrument made of spinning glass bowls that captivated composers like Mozart and Beethoven.

Franklin’s legacy of generosity and creativity

Benjamin Franklin’s legacy as an inventor and thinker lives on. His drive to understand the world and improve people’s lives continues to inspire scientists, engineers, and innovators today.

© Jonny Wilkes / www.historyextra.com