On This Day in History: Earth's Rotation Proved

There is a demonstration of this running in the Science Museum.

"Donc, c'est ce que vous faites avec votre argent de la subvention!"

"I'm proving the Earth rotates, you idiot!"

"Say, why aren't you speaking French?"

"Je croyais que vous étiez un Américain. Désolé!"

The thing works in France (of course) and so he thinks it applies to the whole bluddy planet. No peer review. No independent verification. No checking results. He didn't even bother to google the thing first. Oh no, not Leon! Your typical 19th-century Froggie prison architect.

Gawd I hate broad generalizations.

You lost me on the second sentence, while humorous.

The pendulum swung, slowly.

The Earth turned, even more slowly.

The effect was agreeing with simple geometric calculations.

OED

In french? The same, I would hazard the guess.

The real story about this is interesting. He was an experimental physicist, almost more of an advanced lab worker than what we'd call an experimental physicist today. He was at odds with the 'Physics establishment' - the university physicists and mathematicians - and got little respect from them. He had to work hard to earn their respect and even then most would just ignore him. Some refused to acknowledge this great achievement. History was on his side, though, and his name is now well known and the names of many that opposed him are long forgotten.

The book 'Pendulum' by Amir Aczel is a well written account, for anyone interested.

http://www.amazon.com/Pendulum-Leon-Foucault-Triumph-Science/dp/0743464796/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357737268&sr=8-1&keywords=Pendulum+Aczel