 |
| Loomis was a dentist. |
Loomis
did not come up with a working idea of how to do this! His patent
application not only had no schematic diagram about how to build a
wireless telegraph, nor any theoretical backing for his concept, it
was also very close to the idea and even wording of a patent
application already awarded to William Henry Ward. Both patents
applications were vague and impractical.
Loomis
did do an experiment that seemed to demonstrate the first wireless
communication in the world. He flew two kites at equal heights 14
miles away from one another; each kite was tied to a copper string,
and each string was attached to a galvanometer. Loomis was able to
use one kite to move the other kite's meter!
 |
| This is NOT what was happening during the experiment! |
Loomis
thought that, because the two kites were flown at the same height, he
was creating a closed circuit as electricity moved from a
transmitter, up a wire, through a particular layer of atmosphere, and
down the other wire to the meter. However, scientists now know that
the atmosphere creating one leg of a closed circuit is impossible.
Instead, scientists speculate, Loomis was unknowingly creating a
radio signal with one apparatus, and the equal-length wire of the
other kite was resonant with that signal and therefore acted as a
radio receiver. Interesting, huh?
 |
| What would we do without wireless technology today? |
Loomis
received his patent on this date in 1872. I personally find value in
people thinking up all sorts of outlandish possibilities—artists
and science fiction writers are two groups of people who often make
these sorts of contributions to society—but I admire even more the
scientists who work hard to discover principles of the universe and
engineers who work hard to create devices that work. Loomis didn't
succeed at either of these – but he did indeed think outside of the
box!
Also
on this date:
Plan
Ahead...
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