Playing with fire
Subtitle: histories of the lightning rod
By: edited by Peter Heering, Oliver Hochadel, and David J. Rhees.
Contributors: Heering, Peter.; Hochadel, Oliver, 1968-; Rhees, David J.
Series: Transactions of the American Philosophical Society held at Philadelphia for promoting useful knowledge -- v. 99, pt. 5
Publisher: American Philosophical Society
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Philadelphia
Language: eng
Number of pages: 290
ISBN-13: 9781606189955
Subjects: Lightning rods -- History; Lightning rods -- Social aspects -- History; Lightning rods -- Philosophy -- History; Lightning -- Research -- History; Lightning -- Social aspects -- History; Lightning -- Philosophy -- History
Description: "In 2002 the world commemorated the 250th anniversary of the invention of the lightning rod. In 2006 the tricentenary of the birth of its inventor, Benjamin Franklin, was celebrated. In spite of this attention, the development and adoption of the lightning rod remain poorly understood, perhaps because it is so deeply embedded in our culture that we overlook it. Playing with Fire reveals the complex histories of the lightning rod in a multidisciplinary and multifaceted manner. To reflect of the development of the 'Franklin rod' is to understand how science and technology have entered our world and changed it in profound ways."--Publisher's description.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.