Paolo Frisi was a leading authority on mathematics and
science during the mid-18th century in what is now Italy. Frisi worked with dynamics, physics,
astronomy, mathematics, geodetics, hydrodynamics and electricity. He published a book, De moto diurno terrae, about the motion of the earth. He was the first to introduce the lightning
conductor to Italy.
Education & Early
Career
Frisi was born in Milan and educated at the Barnabite
monastery. Appointed by the King of
Sardinia, he became a professor of philosophy at Casale Novara. (He was removed from the institution because
of a friendship with a liberal; part of his duties included being a preacher.) His other teaching positions included:
- Barnabite College of St. Alexander - professor
of philosophy
- University of Pisa - professor of mathematics
- Palatine Schools at Milan - professor of
mathematics
Contributions
A major accomplishment from his work with light and
electricity was being the first to introduce the lightning conductor to
Italy. At the time it was not always
believed that lightning was an electrical phenomenon. Thus, metallic conductors would be unable to
prevent damage caused by lightning.
Early lightning rods were placed on the towers of churches and
castles. Public tests were often
conducted to prove the functionality of the lightning rods - and the laws of physics.
Frisi's work with astronomy was largely based on Newton's
theory of gravitation. He wrote a memoir
about his study of the motion of the earth, De moto diurno terrae. He studied
the motion of the moon and physical causes for the shape and size of the earth.
Because of his studies of kinematics and hydraulics,
Frisi was asked to draw up plans for a canal.
In 1762 he published a work on hydraulics, Del modo di regolare i fiumi, e i torrentini (A
treatise on rivers and torrents; with the method of regulating their course and
channels). He created a plan for a canal
between Milan and Pavia. It was built in
1819, using his plan, 35 years after his death.
In addition to his own studies, Frisi helped bring
the contributions of Galileo, Cavalieri, Newton, and d'Alembert to a wider
audience. His work in Latin was
translated into French and English.
Resources:
Bertucci,
Paola. "Public Opinion, Local Authorities, and the Reformation of Meteorology
in Eighteent Century Italy."
Berzolari,
Alberto Gigli. "Volta's Teaching in Como
and Pavia: Moments of Academic Life Under All Flags."
Paolo Frisi
TODAYINSCI: Paolo Frisi
Wikipedia:
Paolo Frisi
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