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Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol 1

by Edmond HALLEY (1656 - 1742)

An introductory Essay to the Doctrine of Sounds, containing some Proposals for the improvement of Acousticks; As it was presented to the Dublin Society, Nov. 12. 1683, by the Right Reverend Father in God Narcissus Lord Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin.

"The Royal Society is a Fellowship of many of the world's most eminent scientists and is the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence." (from its Mission Statement). As scientists have explored the world around them, observed and tried to explain natural phenomena, they have been invited to present papers to the Royal Society. Edmond Halley (of Halley's Comet fame) was an eminent member of the society and gathered together some of the most interesting papers of his day. Today, we may see errors in the logic or calculations, based on current knowledge, but these papers are unedited and as presented at the time and show how scientific knowledge was expanding in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Summary by Lynne Thompson

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Listen next episodes of Miscellanea Curiosa, Vol 1:
A Discourse concerning some Influence of Respiration on the Motion of the Heart, hitherto unobserved. By J. Drake, M.D.F.R.S. , Some Thoughts and Experiments concerning Vegetation. By John Woodward, M. D. of the College of Physicians, and R. S. and Professor of Physick in Gresham College. Part 2 , A Discourse concerning the Action of the Sun and Moon on Animal Bodies; and the Influence which This may have in many Diseases. By Richard Mead, M. D. F. R. S. Part 2 , A Discourse concerning Gravity, and its Properties, wherein the Descent of Heavy Bodies, and the Motion of Projects is briefly, but fully handled: Together with the Solution of a Problem of great Use in Gunnery. By E. Halley. , A Discourse concerning some Influence of Respiration on the Motion of the Heart, hitherto unobserved. By J. Drake, M. D. F. R. S. part 1 , A Discourse concerning the Action of the Sun and Moon on Animal Bodies; and the Influence which This may have in many Diseases. By Richard Mead, M. D. F. R. S. Part 1 , A Discourse concerning the Measure of the Airs Resistance to Bodies moved in it. By the Learned John Wallis, S. T. D. and R. S. S. , A Discourse concerning the Modern Theory of Generation, by Dr. George Garden of Aberdeen, being part of a Letter to Dr. William Musgrave, L. L. D. Reg. Soc. S. and by him communicated the Royal Society. , A Discourse concerning the Proportional Heat of the Sun in all Latitudes, with the Method of collecting the same; as it was read before the Royal Society, in one of their late Meetings. By E. Halley. , A Proposition of general Use in the Art of Gunnery, shewing the Rule of laying a Mortar to pass, in order to strike an Object above or below the Horizon. , A short Discourse concerning Concoction: Read at a Meeting of the Royal Society, May ... 1699, by Clopton Havers, M. D. Fellow of the Royal Society. , An Account of Dr. Robert Hook's Invention of the Marine Barometer, with its Description and Uses; published by order of the Royal Society, by E. Halley, R. S. S. , An Account of the Measure of the thickness of Gold upon Gilt Wire; together with Demonstration of the exceeding Minuteness of the Atoms or constituent Particles of Gold; as it was read before the Royal Society, by E. Halley. , An Account of the several Species of Infinite Quantity, and of the Proportions they bear one to the other; as it was read before the Royal Society, by E. Halley. , An Analytical Resolution of certain Equations of the Third, Fifth, Seventh, Ninth Powers, and so on ad Infinitum, in finite Terms, after the manner of Cardan's Rules for Cubicks. By Mr. A. Moivre, Transact. No 309. , An Estimate of the Degrees of the Mortality of Mankind, drawn from curious Tables of the Births and Funerals at the City of Breslaw; with an Attempt to ascertain the Price of Annuities upon Lives. By Mr. E. Halley, R. S. S. , An Instance of the Excellence of the Modern Algebra, in the Resolution of the Problem of finding the Foci of Optick Glasses Universally. By E. Halley, S. R. S. , Concerning the Distance of the Fix'd Stars. By the Honourable Francis Roberts, Esq; S. R. S. , Some Thoughts and Experiments concerning Vegetation. By John Woodward, M. D. of the College of Physicians, and R. S. and Professor of Physick in Gresham College. Part 1 , The Famous Mr. Isaac Newton's Theory of the Moon.