Monday, August 29, 2005

 

Spotlight: On this date in 1831, English chemist Michael Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction, the production of an electric current by changing magnetic intensity. He used the same principle to build the electric dynamo, which eventually led to the construction of the electric generator. In 1845, Faraday discovered what is now known as the Faraday effect and the phenomenon that he named diamagnetism, an interaction between light and a magnetic field.

Quote: "The five essential entrepreneurial skills for success are concentration, discrimination, organization, innovation and communication." – Michael Faraday

Word of the day: farad: the SI unit of capacitance, with one farad (F) equal to an increase of one volt when a charge of one coulomb is applied; the farad is named after Faraday. (© )

Today's News:

• New Orleans: Katrina threatens city with doomsday scenario (story)
• chicken: professor invents a way to turn dark meat into white (story)
• Redford and Newman: may reunite on screen (story)

Today's History:

• chop suey: was invented in NYC by chef for visiting Chinese diplomat Li Hongzhang (1896)
• The Beatles: gave their last paid concert, at San Francisco's Candlestick Park (now Monster Park) (1966)
• Communist Party: disbanded by the Supreme Soviet after 74 years of ruling the USSR (1991)

Today's Birthdays:

• John Locke: English empiricist philosopher who influenced the American and French revolutions (1632-1704)
• Ingrid Bergman: Oscar-winning Swedish actor (she died on her birthday, 1915-1982)
• Michael Jackson: androgynous pop superstar (47)