Amazing knowledge

Chapter 20 Celebrity Leftovers
*Is the law of universal gravitation really created by an apple?

Practicality: ★★★

Knowledge: ★★★★
Interesting: ★★★★
It is said that there is a mysterious apple tree in England. The apple on this tree hit the head of the great scientist Newton, and then the law of universal gravitation came out.This thing is so amazing, is it true?

Facts have proved that this incident is nothing more than a "white lie". Although Apple showed its face in the process of the law of universal gravitation coming out, there is no evidence to prove that Newton was ever hit by an apple.

Newton's closest friend, William Stickley, had a manuscript on how Newton discovered the law of gravitation. This manuscript had been published as early as 1752, and the manuscript recorded in detail how Newton discovered the law of gravitation.

According to the records in the manuscript, it was a very warm afternoon, and Newton and William, the author of the manuscript, were sitting under the apple tree in the garden drinking tea and chatting.At that time, Newton was always troubled by a question: "Why do celestial bodies obey the rules and keep moving in their own orbits?" Scientists at that time knew this phenomenon, but no one could explain it. Although Newton had some thoughts about gravity vague ideas, but these ideas are still somewhat fragmented and cannot be scientifically demonstrated.

Just as Newton fell into deep thought as usual, an apple fell from the tree, interrupting Newton's thoughts.Newton began to wonder in his heart, why can apples fall straight to the ground, why don't they fall obliquely?And why did it fall instead of flying into the sky?

Inspired by Apple, Newton finally discovered the law of universal gravitation after precise calculation and repeated research.

The final word: Any scientific discovery is obtained through rigorous scientific calculations and repeated experimental research. Although the small things in life may indeed bring scientists a flash of inspiration, the universal gravitation is indeed not smashed by an apple. of.

*How short was Napoleon?

Practicality: ★★
Knowledge: ★★★

Interesting: ★★★★
Whether in politics or military, Napoleon is undoubtedly a "giant".He is the creator of the French Republic, but in life, Napoleon has always been considered a poor "dwarf".Just how short was this legendary emperor?

In fact, according to Napoleon's closest servant, Napoleon's height is cinq pieds deux pouces trois lignes, which translates to 1.685 meters in vernacular.Another general named Gourgaud also measured Napoleon's height. The general said in his diary that Napoleon was about 1.69 meters tall.

No matter what kind of statement it is, we can find that Napoleon's height is nearly 170 centimeters. Although he is not considered tall, he is definitely not a "dwarf".

Napoleon has shown extraordinary military talents since he was a child. When he was 16 years old, he was awarded the rank of Second Lieutenant of Artillery, and he was stationed with troops in various places.Some historians estimate that the average height of the French in the late 18th century, where Napoleon lived, was no more than 1.66 meters.In this way, Napoleon obviously did not hold back, and was even above the level.

But why do most people have the idea that "Napoleon was a dwarf, a dwarf"?In fact, this is very likely to be the "achievement" of public opinion propaganda in the British media.At that time, the "Contract of Amiens" broke down, and the British media intentionally or unintentionally discredited Napoleon in their reports.

Another possibility is that domestic translators mistook the ruler in the literature for the more familiar feet when translating French-related references.As a result, Napoleon's height instantly shrank from 1.69 meters to 1.57 meters.

The final word: Napoleon's height is about 1.7 meters. Although it is not considered tall today, in France at the end of the 18th century, this height was definitely above the average.

*Edison used mirror reflection to help doctors perform surgery, is it true?

Practicality: ★★★★
Knowledge: ★★★★★

Interesting: ★★
Since elementary school, we know that Edison is a great inventor. When he was a child, he borrowed a mirror from his neighbor to help the doctor perform an operation on his mother, and finally saved his mother.This story is so touching, but how true is it?

I regret to tell you that this story is false.Even if it appears in the textbooks of elementary school students, it is a story we have heard since childhood, but this cannot change its identity as a "cottage".

The story said that Edison's mother had acute appendicitis and needed immediate surgery, but Edison's house only had kerosene lamps, and the lights were too dim, so doctors couldn't do the surgery under such circumstances.At this time, Edison was so anxious that he suddenly remembered that when he was playing during the day, he would face the sun with the lens, and a spot of light would form.So Edison immediately borrowed mirrors from his neighbors, and then helped the doctor perform surgery through the reflection of the mirror.

There's not even one hole in the story.First of all, Edison was born in 1847, and the first report on appendicitis surgery in the world was in 1886.Even if Edison's mother was the first patient in the world to undergo appendicitis surgery, Edison was already 40 years old at that time.And Edison invented the light bulb at the age of 32. Do you think such a great inventor would abandon the light bulb he invented and choose kerosene lamps?

Furthermore, the light reflected by the mirror is actually a "shadow lamp", and the lights in the operating room are all shadowless lamps. In the case of shadow lamps, it is impossible to perform surgery, even if it is a doctor with more than 20 years of rich surgical experience. Can't do it either.

The final word: The story of Edison saving his mother by using a mirror to help doctors perform surgery is a lie. The story does not make sense logically, and there is no similar story mentioned in the official biography of Edison.

* Is Einstein good at mathematics?
Practicality: ★★★★
Knowledge: ★★★★★

Interesting: ★★
Einstein is the father of the theory of relativity and a pioneer of modern physics, but it is said that Einstein's mathematics has always been poor, especially when he was a child, his mathematics score was only 1 point.

It is an indisputable fact that Einstein scored 1 in mathematics, but the truth behind the fact is completely contrary to what everyone thinks.

In Germany, 1 point is not the worst grade, but the best grade. The German scoring system is very special. They implement a 6-point system: 1 point for sehr gut (excellent), 2 points for gut (good), 3 points represent befriedigend (moderate), 4 points represent ausreichend (pass), 5 points represent mangelhaft (fail), 6 points represent ungenuegend (poor).Contrary to what we think, we think that the higher the score, the better the performance, but the Germans do the opposite, the less the score, the better the performance.

Therefore, Einstein's score of 1 actually means excellent. Einstein was very interested in mathematics since he was a child.His math scores are either 1 or 2, and he has always been outstanding among his peers.

Einstein began to teach himself calculus at the age of 12, and he learned calculus thoroughly at the age of 16. In 1896, Einstein entered the Swiss Federal University of Technology in Zurich to continue his studies. This university has always been good at mathematics. Einstein's admission here also shows that his mathematics is not too bad.

But the Germans may have realized how weird their 6-point system is, so they changed the point system later to become the same as the public, and it was changed after Einstein graduated.So when people read Einstein's materials, they will find that the mathematics score of this great physicist is only "1 point"!Then it creates the illusion that "the great Einstein's mathematics is so bad".

The final word: Einstein's mathematics is not bad, but very good. Einstein even had the idea of ​​​​becoming a mathematician instead of a physicist.

*Can you become Bill Gates by dropping out of school?
Practicality: ★★★★★

Knowledge: ★★
Interesting: ★★★★
Bill Gates dropped out of university when he was 20 years old, and then went into business. He became the richest man in the world in 1993 and has been the richest man in the world for 22 consecutive years. Can we be like Bill Gates if we drop out?

There are many people who drop out of school every year, but there is only one Bill Gates. If you want to become the second Bill Gates, first see if you have the ability of Bill Gates.To put it simply, Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard. Can you get into Harvard?

The reason why Bill Gates chose to drop out of school was not a hot-headed impulsive behavior, but a deliberate decision.Bill Gates thought that he had mastered the knowledge that the school could teach him, and the school could no longer trap him. He needed a wider world to display his skills, so he chose to drop out of school.Looking back at yourself, do you think you have mastered all the knowledge in school?

Let's talk about Bill Gates' family background.His mother was the chairman of IBM, and his father was the chairman of the Washington State Bar Association and the chairman of the National Bar Council.Think about yourself, do you have such contacts?Even if we don't talk about family background, let's look at Bill Gates' own ability. When Bill Gates was 8 years old, he had already read a whole set of encyclopedias.

At the age of 12, Bill Gates first came into contact with computers, and at this time computers were still very rare and in short supply in China.

At the age of 13, Bill Gates had already become a well-known local hacker.

At the age of 16, Bill Gates dug up the first pot of gold in his life, earning a full $10 or more.

At the age of 17, Bill Gates sold his first programming work, which earned him more than $4000.

Seeing this, if you still have the idea of ​​dropping out and becoming the second Bill Gates, please look back and see what else you have in common before choosing to drop out like Bill Gates.

The final word: success only belongs to those who are prepared, and will not come to opportunists for no reason. We can choose to interrupt our school studies, but we cannot interrupt our studies. Dropping out of school is not the basis of success. Overwhelming strength is the key to success Assure.

* Beethoven was actually a playboy, is it true?

Practicality: ★★
Knowledge: ★★★

Interesting: ★★★★
Artists seem to be passionate, and Beethoven, a master in the history of music, cannot escape the title of "playboy". Was Beethoven really a passionate playboy?

Beethoven was never married in his life, but he was in love all the time. This may be the origin of Beethoven's "Playboy" title.But in fact, Beethoven devoted [-]% of his sincerity to each relationship, but Beethoven had very high requirements for women. The girl in Beethoven's dream was like Fidelio, the protagonist of "Fidelio", who was beautiful, elegant and noble. Firm, but women who have gathered all the advantages in this way are too rare in life, so even though Beethoven had many relationships, they all ended without a problem in the end.

In 1800, when Beethoven was teaching the earl's daughter the piano at the earl's home in Brunswick, he fell in love with the earl's daughter's cousin Chili Aithai, but there was an insurmountable gap between their identities and ranks.In the end, love lost to reality, and the two broke up lonely.After the breakup, Qili Aitai married far away in Italy, and Beethoven wrote his thoughts about her in "Moonlight Sonata in C Minor".

Later, Beethoven empathized with the earl's daughter Josephine, but before this relationship could develop, Josephine married someone else.Although Josephine's later married life was not happy, she did not accept Beethoven's pursuit. Until Josephine remarried later, she still chose a count with status and status.

When Beethoven was heartbroken by Josephine, Thales appeared in Beethoven's life. Although the two people had a crush on each other, but fate made the pair fail to leave in the end. together.

Throughout his life, although Beethoven fell in love several times successively and had many beautiful girls around him, these relationships ended up with no results. Only music was always by Beethoven's side and never left.

The final word: Beethoven experienced several relationships in his life, but due to the gap in status, these relationships were fruitless.It would be too one-sided to assume that Beethoven was a playboy because of these tragic emotional experiences.

(End of this chapter)