History of 25th September – Electromagnetics to Social Reforms
Explore the history of 25th September, a day marked by the scientific genius of François Arago’s discoveries in electromagnetism and the signing of the Poona Act by B. R. Ambedkar and Madan Mohan Malaviya.
Ah, has the 25th crept up on us? That means Durga Pujo is just around the corner! But this year, Pujo won’t quite be the same, as we’re still waiting for justice for R. G. Kar. But let’s get back to the history of 25th September.
As I flick through the history of 25th September, I find that it was on this day in the year 303 that Saint Fermin of Pamplona was beheaded in Amiens, France, during his travels to preach the gospel.
Fast forward to 1932, and the history of 25th September tells us that it was on this day when the Poona Act was signed by Madan Mohan Malaviya and B. R. Ambedkar in India, which reserved legislative seats for the depressed classes, also known as the untouchables.
Moving on with the history of 25th September, we jump to 1957, when on this day “Aparajito,” directed by Satyajit Ray, clinched the Golden Lion and the Critics’ Award at the 18th Venice Film Festival. This marked the first occasion that an Indian film bagged such an accolade. Quite a remarkable day in history, wouldn’t you agree?
With this I come to the feature story from the history of 25th September.
Francois Arago and His Magnetic Discoveries: A Tale of French Genius
History of 25th September 1820, French physicist François Arago made a groundbreaking discovery, uncovering the principle that magnetism could be produced by the mere rotation of a nonmagnetic conductor. This revelation was one of many in a brilliant career that spanned both science and politics, placing Arago squarely among the great minds of his time. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing – his journey was marked by intense intellectual curiosity, sheer persistence, and a few political scrapes along the way.
Born on 26th February 1786 in Estagel, Roussillon, France, Arago was always destined for greatness. After receiving an education in Perpignan and later at the prestigious École Polytechnique in Paris, he quickly made a name for himself. At the tender age of 23, he stepped into the shoes of the renowned Gaspard Monge as the chair of analytic geometry. Now, that’s no small feat! Soon after, he was appointed director of the Paris Observatory and permanent secretary of the Academy of Sciences, all while dipping his toes into French republican politics. If one could say Arago wore many hats, it would be putting it mildly.
Arago’s contribution to electromagnetism came hot on the heels of Danish physicist Hans Christian Ørsted’s discovery. Ørsted had already demonstrated that electric currents could produce magnetic fields. Building on this, Arago showed that a current passing through a spiral of copper wire could act like a magnet, attracting iron filings. But that wasn’t the end of it. Ever the inquisitive chap, he took things a step further. By 1824, Arago demonstrated that a rotating copper disk could influence a magnetic needle suspended above it, causing it to rotate too. In true “wait till you see this” fashion, Arago was opening doors to a new understanding of the relationship between electricity and magnetism.
But just as things were ticking along nicely, in waltzed Michael Faraday, who later proved that Arago’s findings were an example of induction phenomena. In fact, Faraday used Arago’s work as the basis for his own monumental experiments, effectively setting the stage for the entire field of electromagnetism. Talk about being a hard act to follow!
Aside from his scientific pursuits, Arago also had a knack for causing a stir in the political arena. A staunch republican, he held several political offices, including that of Minister of War and Marine in the provisional government following the Revolution of 1848. Arago didn’t just rest on his laurels; he introduced a raft of reforms. Though juggling science and politics would leave many of us all at sixes and sevens, Arago seemed to manage it with aplomb.
Of course, his contributions to the field of light shouldn’t be overlooked either. Arago devised an experiment that supported the wave theory of light and played a key role in research into the laws of light polarization. His versatility was truly astonishing, shifting from geometry to optics, magnetism to political reform – he was a man who had his finger in every pie.
As we look back on François Arago’s life and contributions, it’s clear he was no flash in the pan. His work laid the groundwork for some of the most significant advancements in electromagnetism and optics. To top it all off, he was also a man of principle, using his political influence to champion reforms that would benefit future generations.
So, hats off to Monsieur Arago – a true pioneer who left an indelible mark on science and society alike.
That’s all from the history of 25th September.
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