Jean Bernard Léon (ʒɑ̃ bɛrnar leɔ̃). 1819--68, French physicist. He determined the velocity of light and proved that light travels more slowly in water than in air (1850). He demonstrated by means of the pendulum named after him the rotation of the earth on its axis (1851) and invented the gyroscope (1852)
2.
Michel. 1926--84, French philosopher and historian of ideas. His publications include Histoire de la folie (1961) and Les Mots et les choses (1966)
Jean bernard léon foucaultis always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
So is interrobang. Does it mean:
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question.
Foucault (f-kō') Pronunciation Key
French physicist who determined that light travels more slowly in water than in air, confirming predictions made by the wave theory of light. In 1850 Foucault also measured the absolute velocity of light. In 1851, by using a type of pendulum that is now named after him, Foucault demonstrated the rotation of the Earth, and in 1852 perfected a gyroscope for the same purpose.