RÉAUMUR, RENÉ-ANTOINE FERCHAULT DE


Meaning of RÉAUMUR, RENÉ-ANTOINE FERCHAULT DE in English

born Feb. 28, 1683, La Rochelle, France

died Oct. 17, 1757, Saint-Julien-du-Terroux

French physicist and entomologist.

He invented the thermometric scale that bears his name (see thermometry ); on the Réaumur scale, 0° marks the freezing point of water and 80° marks the boiling point. He invented the opaque white glass known as Réaumur porcelain, improved techniques for making iron and steel, discovered that crayfish can regenerate lost appendages, and isolated gastric juice. His Memoirs Serving as a Natural History of Insects (1734–42), though unfinished, was a milestone in entomological history.

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.      Краткая энциклопедия Британика.