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Birth
Born August 2nd 1820 in Leighlinbridge, County Carlow, Ireland. -
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Early Life
Tyndall attended the National School in Ballinabranagh focusing on mathematics and subjects pertaining to the surveying of land. He was eventually hired on as a draftsman by the Ordnance Survey of Ireland in 1839 and worked with them through the railway boom of the 1840's until he was dismissed in November of 1843. -
Death of Father
Tyndall's father passes away. -
Begins teaching
Begins teaching at the Queenwood School in Hampshire which had a curriculum emphasizing practical and laboratory work. -
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PHD
Begins PHD in Robert Bunsen's Lab (Inventor of Bunsen burner, pioneer of spectroscopy and discoverer of new elements). He completes his PHD in two years and begins research on Diamagnetism. -
Elected a fellow of the Royal Society
The Royal Society of London is the oldest national scientific institution in the world. Past members include Sir Isaac Newton and Stephen Hawking. To be elected a fellow was a great honor. -
Appointed Professor of natural philosophy at Royal institution
Following a presentation to the Society Tyndall was suggested to be appointed as a professor at the institution. -
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Mountaineering
As an avid mountain climber John Tyndall climbs Snowdon, The Alps, Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa (highest mountain in Switzerland) and Weisshorn. From 1856 onward Tyndall was said to have visited the Alps every summer studying the movement and flow of Glaciers. He publishes his first book "Glaciers of the Alps" July 6 1860. Multiple glaciers are named after him as well as Mount Tyndall in California and another in Tasmania. -
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Experiments on absorption and radiation of heat
Crucial in the understanding of the greenhouse effect and global warming as we know it today. -
Publishes "Heat as a mode of Motion"
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Awarded the Rumford Medal
The pinnacle of awards science in a pre-nobel prize era. Awarded to John Tyndall for his work on Absorption and radiation of heat by gases and vapors. -
Discovers the Scattering of Light effect or The Tyndall Effect
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXoKZPLb6Qo The video explains the work that John Tyndall is best known for, explaining why our sky is blue. -
Invents the forerunner of respirators
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Philosophical beliefs and the Belfast address
Tyndall believed that there should be a strong barrier between Science and Religion. John Tyndall gave an address as the president of the British Association in Belfast. In short he presents that the world should be studied from a scientific "naturalistic" view rather one based on Theology. That human logic and reason to be separate from spirituality. During his speech Tyndall gave much credit to evolution and its followers.This garnered much attention from the association and thinkers abroad. -
Resignation from the Royal Institution
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Death
John Tyndall passes after being accidently overdosed by his wife. Tyndall used the drug chloral hydrate to treat insomnia.
