The lucky owners of world’s oldest working light bulb celebrated its 100th birthday in June 2001. Nearly 12 years later, it’s still burning, though not as brightly as it once did.
On June 18, 1901, Dennis Bernal, owner of the Livermore Power and Light Company of Livermore, California, donated the 60-watt light bulb to the local fire department. It was first installed at a hose cart house, but was soon moved to the main firehouse. In 1903, it was again moved, this time to the new Station 1. It was turned off for about a week when the firehouse was renovated in 1937, when it was turned back on without incident.
In 1976, it was moved to Fire Station 6, escorted by police and fire trucks. This time it got its own power supply, though it was still running at 110 watts. It is now serving as a night light, and its power has now been cut to only four watts.
This particular bulb was developed by Adolphe A. Chaillet and manufactured by the Shelby Electric Company. The bulb itself was handblown and equipped with a carbon filament. No one seems to know why it has lasted so long.
The Centennial Bulb is recognized as the oldest known working light bulb by both the Guinness Book of World Records and by Ripley’s Believe-It-or–Not.
The Livermore bulb, also called the Centennial Bulb and the Shelby Bulb, even has its own website.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The World’s Oldest Astrologer’s Board
Astrology is thought to have first developed in Babylon some time before 2500 B.C. It spread to the eastern Mediterranean area around 2100 years ago. So you would expect to find the oldest astrology board in Babylon.
But in 1999, thirty bits of ivory found in a cave near Nakovana in Croatia and painstakingly assembled over the next several years, proved to be the remains of what is now the oldest known astrologer’s board. The part of the cave containing the ivory fragments had been deliberately sealed off more than 2,000 years ago and lay undisturbed until discovered by a team led by Staso Forenbaher of the Institute for Anthropological Research in Zagreb.
Over time, the Greek symbols used for the signs of the zodiac replaced earlier versions developed by the Babylonians and other cultures and are still in use by today’s astrologers.
Researchers are uncertain where the board was made, although the ivory was identified as coming from an elephant. They believe the symbols may have been attached to a wooden board that did not survive. They also have no idea why it was placed in a cave, which is not a particularly good place for observing stars and constellations.
The cave also contained a large number of drinking vessels which appear to have been deposited over hundreds of years. If these drinking vessels were used in rituals, then the cave had a long history of special significance for the people who lived in the area long before the board was left there. Was it hidden there, or was it an offering to some unknown deity?
If you’re interested in more information, you might want to start here
But in 1999, thirty bits of ivory found in a cave near Nakovana in Croatia and painstakingly assembled over the next several years, proved to be the remains of what is now the oldest known astrologer’s board. The part of the cave containing the ivory fragments had been deliberately sealed off more than 2,000 years ago and lay undisturbed until discovered by a team led by Staso Forenbaher of the Institute for Anthropological Research in Zagreb.
Over time, the Greek symbols used for the signs of the zodiac replaced earlier versions developed by the Babylonians and other cultures and are still in use by today’s astrologers.
Researchers are uncertain where the board was made, although the ivory was identified as coming from an elephant. They believe the symbols may have been attached to a wooden board that did not survive. They also have no idea why it was placed in a cave, which is not a particularly good place for observing stars and constellations.
The cave also contained a large number of drinking vessels which appear to have been deposited over hundreds of years. If these drinking vessels were used in rituals, then the cave had a long history of special significance for the people who lived in the area long before the board was left there. Was it hidden there, or was it an offering to some unknown deity?
If you’re interested in more information, you might want to start here
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