Dr Hector Perera

Ran naked in public, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-EurekaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

Archimedes is most famous for discovering the law of hydrostatics, sometimes known as ‘Archimedes’ principle’, stating that a body immersed in fluid loses weight equal to the weight of the amount of fluid it displaces. Archimedes is supposed to have made this discovery when stepping into his bath, causing him to exclaim ‘Eureka!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The law of octaves

In 1869 a Russian Scientist, Dimitry Mendeleev stated that there is a similarity between the periodicity of the elements and the musical notes. He said every eight element in the periodic table is a repeat like the every eight musical note. He called this the law of octaves. Then everybody ridiculed him, said he was mad. Much later found out he was right. To honour him it was named as MendeleevƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s periodic table. His discovery certainly served many nations.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Centre of the Universe

Galileo, an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and a philosopher who played a major role in scientific revolution was kept under house arrest from 1632 for the rest of his life,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for the simple reason, he said sun is the centre of the universe or he supported the helio-centric view. Galileo backed up his arguments scientifically. The majority including the church supported the geo-centric view that is earth is the centre of the universe. Much later when they found, he was right,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the discoveries of the four largest satellites of Jupiter were named after as Galilean moons to honour him. Even today the long distance voyager satellites are named after him to honour him.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Busy with calculations

When an apple fell on the head of that little boy he discovered gravity. He was a school boy bully, the school expelled him. The same school now preserves his signature with a pride, on a window sill. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He nearly became a farmer but now and in future, everybody use his discovery. He was so busy with the calculations, never had time to marry his girl friend.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ War and Peace discovery

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Haber, a German scientist, a Nobel Prize winner found how to make ammonia that lead to make gunpowder and fertiliser. Using ammonia they produced sodium nitrate and nitrite also potassium nitrate which were used in gunpowder. The discovery of ammonia was used for war and peace. Then just modified those chemicals and made other useful chemicals such as food flavourings and fertilizers, when people went hungry after the Second World War, ammonium and sodium nitrate were used for farming to produce food.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Haber was awarded over ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚£100,000 in late 1930s for his discovery. Mainly, he showed how to fix atmospheric nitrogen, with that came many chemicals.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Nobel Prize

Nobel found how make dynamites to blast off bridges and buildings then set up a prize for peace called Nobel Prize for peace after earning massive amounts from his discovery.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ At least, have you seen one?

In 1829 Sir George Stephen found out the steam locomotive, what principle did he apply to run this locomotive? It is the power of steam that pulled tons of weight along the rail tracks. One of the steam engines called Flying Scotsman in UK had a top speed of 112 miles per hour. When I was a child, in Sri Lanka, I have visited most parts of Sri Lanka by steam railways, now they are just a history. Certainly his discovery served many nations.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Environmental pollutant, polythene bags

Ziegler found how to make polythene bags, awarded a Nobel price for it. I wonder what the super markets would do without these carrier bags! Today, even Advanced Level students use this method in the synthesis of various organic chemicals. When ethene gas is passed over Ziegler catalyst, magic, you get polyethylene. PVC and polystyrene are made on the same principle. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mosquitoes, hate this discovery!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ A chemical called DDT [dichloro diphenol trichloroethane] was found by a British. As far as I can remember by reference to literature, all what he did was to change a functional group to another more effective functional group then he patented as DDT.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Michael Faraday

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Electricity was first discovered by an Englishman who had no proper educational qualifications other than some knowledge of Maths and English. He left school at 14 and worked as an errand boy to a bookbinder but Sir Humphrey Davy gave him a job in his lab when he pleaded for a job as a lab boy. Then only Michael Faraday discovered electricity, later he became the director of that institute that was no more than 300 years ago. The theme is, if Sir Humphrey Davy didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t give a chance to Michael Faraday, it would be possible that we are still out of electricity; we could be still darting in the dark. On the same arguments, somebody must listen and give me a chance, to see how I save gas, am I correct?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Just look up for help

May be in early 1950s someone in England found out the technique to get free gas from his coin operated gas meter. The British gas authority had to pay a substantial amount to him get the secret. I am not stealing gas but I know a scientific technique to save gas. Think, when the gas bill goes higher and higher, perhaps the help is up there, solar power.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ European cooks trick the Scotland Yard

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Some clever Europeans crooks in England siphoned money from other peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s bank accounts and even The Scotland Yard detectives find it difficult to know the exact technique because the crooks keep on changing the technique. Some crooks possessed fake cards, three or four times bigger than a pack of playing cards. That is clear stealing, but I am not doing anything like that. I am going to show how to save gas and money spent on gas, its true!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What did I do?

Well, I have already shown my technique free of charge to the nation. I had live TV interviews then performed clear demonstrations. I didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t use expensive utensils, electrical gadgets, attachments because my aim was to benefit the ordinary people. Some parts of Sri Lanka just getting electricity and people still use firewood for cooking because the gas is an expensive commodity, not just in Sri Lanka but all over the world.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ItƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s a waiting game

Apart from the above examples, I can give many more examples from the history where the scientific inventions or ideas are waiting to be recognised. I am sure no other science and chemistry teacher talked about my kind of eco-friendly scientific cooking, am I the first? Just donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t blame the vehicles only for causing pollution, what about careless cooking? Happy cooking!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Burning money!

The energy authorities have witnessed my work, quite recently they wrote to me, stating they need further clarification and consultation with me, itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s a matter of waiting game. I am glad they have taken some interest on the matter.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In the mean time, the more gas we burn carelessly, more carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere causing more environmental pollution! Immediately it causes respiratory problems, such as common cold, asthma, acute bronchitis, pleurisy and chemical pneumonia, then carbon dioxide pollution might lead to global warming. I may be wrong; wasting gas is actually burning money. Please send your comments, perera6@hotmail.co.uk