|
 |
"Mr. Babbage and the Buskers," by Stephanie Pain. New Scientist, 16 August 2003, pages 42-43.
Charles Babbage is best known for his invention in the 19th century of the first mechanical calculator, a precursor of the modern-day computer. This article takes a look at a different part of Babbage's life: His efforts to ban street musicians in London. His dislike of the buskers that interrupted his work may not have been due simply to a curmudgeonly streak. The article notes that, after Babbage died, an autopsy showed that he suffered from restricted blood flow to the head, which may have caused an unusual sensitivity to sound.
--- Allyn Jackson
 |
Comments: Email Webmaster |
