Charles Lyell

Sir Charles Lyell (1797-1875), was a Scottish geologist well known for popularizing the theory of Uniformitarianism - the idea that the Earth was shaped by the same scientific processes still in operation today. (As opposed to Catastrophism). He explained earthquakes and volcanoes among many other things. However his theory of icebergs and the transport of glacial erratics has been proven mostly wrong. Lyell believed in an infinitely long age of Earth, though geological evidence suggested an old but finite age. He was a close friend of Charles Darwin and contributed significantly to Darwin's thinking on the theory of evolution. Although he had difficulty in reconciling his religious beliefs with Darwin's Theory of Evolution, he later published evidence from geology of the time man had existed on Earth. 

Lyell was born into a wealthy family, the eldest of ten children. He worked briefly as a lawyer before entering the world of science. Principles of Geology Lyell's first book was his most famous, most influential and most important. It established Lyell as an important geological theorist. He popularized the work of James Hutton, another Scottish geologist, who died in the year Lyell was born.  

Michael Faraday

Michael Faraday (1791-1867) was an English physicist and chemist. Faraday’s discovery of electromagnetic induction led to his invention of the electric motor and electric generator. His inventions laid the basis for much of the technology of the 20th century. In 1821 he had used a magnet and a wire containing an electric current to produce mechanical motion, thereby creating an electric motor. Ten years later Faraday reversed the process: using magnetism to produce an electric current, he invented the dynamo, or generator.

Faraday formulated the basic laws of electrolysis during his early work in chemistry. Ion, anode cathode and electrode are some of the chemical terms he introduced. In 1825 he became the first to liquefy gases under pressure. In 1845 he discovered the Faraday Effect of magnetism on polarized light. His later days were spent in formulating a general electromagnetic field theory, later completed by James Clerk Maxwell. The farad is named for him. 

The son of a blacksmith in Newington, Surrey, Faraday received little formal schooling. He became interested in science while apprenticed to a London bookbinder. In 1813 he got a job as laboratory assistant to Sir Humphry Davy at the Royal Institution in London. Faraday became director of the laboratory in 1825 and professor of chemistry in 1833. He scorned wealth and worldly honors, refusing knighthood and the presidency of the Royal Society. While other men made money from his discoveries Faraday devoted himself exclusively to scientific research.

The Idea

Kelvin had had another bad day, for some reason he seemed to be more tired than usual, a dull ache seemed to have settled around the middle of his chest, and he could not decide whether it was a physical ache or some sought of mental emptiness. He wondered what it was, and could not account for it, his life was going on as usual at the same dull pace. Then he realized what it was - he had run out of new ideas, which however stupid and meaningless, put him into a really good mood for long periods of time. These included ideas in art, poetry, writing etc. He himself felt that this was an unusual state of affairs, what he wondered could be achieved by writing a short story unless it leads to some monetary reward. It was perhaps a self actualization need, that many artist suffered from, a kind of need to express oneself by painting weird things,  in any case the prospects of earning a living from that sought of thing in his country seemed remote. The only thing he knew was that having an idea and then implementing it by writing a short story for example gave him a great thrill.

But then it struck him, why not write a book about great men and women. He was no great artist but he would do the illustrations himself. In each chapter he would write about a particular group of great individuals, say a chapter for Great Scientists, a chapter for Writers , Inventors, Artists, Explorers Musicians, and so on, or maybe he should mix it all up so that it comes as a surprise to the reader. The idea seemed simple but clever. The trick would be to find the right things to write about and also the length of the article. If a piece was too long it would bore people but if it was too short it wouldn't interest them. He could maybe call the book "The Strange but interesting life's of Great men" or something like that and include unusual things about them. Newton for example would wake up and sit in his bed for hours staring blankly as if he had lost his memory.   Incredibly Kelvin's mood improved within seconds. He wondered why this method could not be used by doctors to improve moods of patients suffering from some illness.

Written by: RJX