The discovery of infrared by Sir William Herschel

Like all bodies above absolute zero it radiates from its surface electromagnetic waves whose wavelengths and intensity are related to the absolute temperature and to the emissivity of its surface.

These waves were named by their discoverer, Sir William Herschel (1738-1822), infrared waves because they occurred beyond the red end of the visible spectrum. In 1800 Sir William Herschel, best known as the discoverer of the planet Uranus, carried out experiments to determine the distribution of heating power among the various colors which could be produced by passing the sun’s light through a prism.

Sir William Herschel (1738-1822)

Sir William arranged his apparatus so that the spectral colors were projected upon a table, and by means of mercury in glass thermometer he explored every part of the spectrum, measuring the relative rise in temperature produced.

He discovered that the heating power of the sun’s rays increased from the violet to the red end of the spectrum and that the maximum was not reached until the thermometer had been placed beyond the end of the visible red.

After this, the infrared thermography started to be used in human assessment and more specifically in medicine. It is possible to consider the 1970s as being the beginning of infrared thermography in sport science.
The discovery of infrared by Sir William Herschel

Discovery of Wheaties

Wheaties breakfast cereal was discovered by accident. In 1921, a health clinician named Mennen Minniberg in Minneapolis was mixing a batch of bran gruel for his patients when he slipped some of the mix on a hot stove.

The gruel crackled and sizzled into a crisp, thin wafer. Tasting the very first Wheaties prototype, he decided this delicious accident had promise. He realized that the toasted wafer was more appetizing than the gruel.

He took the crisped gruel to the people as the Washburn Crosby Company. The company bought the rights to the cereal.

The head miller, George Cormack, took on the task of trying to strengthen the flakes to keep them from turning to dust inside a cereal box. He took three years developing the product and over thirty-six attempts to get flakes ready for packaging.  The company introduced Wheaties breakfast cereal in 1924.

Although originally called ‘Washburn’s Gold Medal Whole Wheat Flakes’ the name was eventually changed to ‘Wheaties’ after an employee contest.

Success kicked in when the company started advertising. The Breakfast Champion slogan was introduced on an outfield billboard at a minor league baseball stadium and athletes started appearing on packaging in1934.
Discovery of Wheaties