A Few Key A Few Key Scientific Scientific

HighlightsHighlights1860 – 1900; Discoveries that 1860 – 1900; Discoveries that

would significantly change would significantly change the worldthe world

ListList

1864: The Earth-Sun is calculated 1864: The Earth-Sun is calculated at 147 million km (real distance is at 147 million km (real distance is 150 million km).150 million km).

1866: Mendel publishes his work on 1866: Mendel publishes his work on heredity. It contains detailed heredity. It contains detailed descriptions of huge numbers of descriptions of huge numbers of experiments which he subjects to experiments which he subjects to statistical analysis. Despite its statistical analysis. Despite its rigorous approach, Mendel's work is rigorous approach, Mendel's work is ignored for the next 34 years.ignored for the next 34 years.

MoreMore 1867 Dating from tree rings is first 1867 Dating from tree rings is first 1871 Mendeleyev develops the 1871 Mendeleyev develops the

Periodic Table of ElementsPeriodic Table of Elements 1873 Maxwell publishes his work 1873 Maxwell publishes his work

Treatise on Electricity and MagnetismTreatise on Electricity and Magnetism which explains the basic laws of which explains the basic laws of electromagnetism and predicts things electromagnetism and predicts things such as radio waves. such as radio waves.

1884 The prime meridian is set 1884 The prime meridian is set through Greenwich, England. We now through Greenwich, England. We now finally, have a time standard!finally, have a time standard!

MoreMore 1884 The steam turbine generator for making 1884 The steam turbine generator for making

electricity is developed; industrial revolution can electricity is developed; industrial revolution can now begin on a large scalenow begin on a large scale

1885 Louis Pasteur discovers vaccination for 1885 Louis Pasteur discovers vaccination for rabies. rabies.

1888 The German physicist Heinrich Hertz 1888 The German physicist Heinrich Hertz produces and detects radio waves for the first time. produces and detects radio waves for the first time.

1896 Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius links the 1896 Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius links the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with global temperatures and suggests that the ice ages global temperatures and suggests that the ice ages were the result of low carbon dioxide levels. were the result of low carbon dioxide levels.

1899 J J Thomson measures the charge on the 1899 J J Thomson measures the charge on the electron.electron. Now we can have the Internet, eventually Now we can have the Internet, eventually