The story of Nobel’s research on explosives
The Story of Nobel
(1833-1896)
For a period of time in 1864, a boat kept stopping on Lake Mara near Stockholm, Sweden. There. The nearby residents were full of fear of the ship, and no one dared to approach it, because Nobel, the king of explosives, was conducting experiments on making explosives on the ship.
Why are experiments on the ship? It turns out that, Research on explosives is a very dangerous job. When Nobel was experimenting with explosives in the laboratory, a big explosion occurred, killing five people on the spot, including Nobel's brother, and his father was also seriously injured. This After the disaster, the surrounding residents were in panic and strongly opposed Nobel's making explosives there. Nobel was not intimidated by the explosion. He moved the equipment to the nearby Mara Lake and continued his experiments on the boat.
Nobel is a Swede. He was frail and sickly since he was a child, but he was strong-willed and unwilling to lag behind. His father liked chemical experiments and often told Nobel stories about scientists, encouraging him to grow up and become a useful person. Once, When little Nobel saw his father developing explosives, he opened his round eyes and asked: "Dad, explosives hurt people and are terrible things. Why do you want to make them?" Dad replied: "Explosives can mine mines and build roads. They can be used in many places." We need it." Nobel nodded in understanding and said, "Then I will also make explosives when I grow up."
In his youth, Nobel, as an engineer, visited 4 European and American countries. In 2006, he gained an in-depth understanding of the industrial development situation of various countries. At that time, many countries urgently required the development of mining industry and speed up the extraction speed. However, explosives could not meet this need, which was a big problem that needed to be solved urgently. After understanding this situation, Nobel decided Improve the production of explosives and develop new explosives.
Before Nobel, many people had researched and manufactured explosives, such as Chinese black powder and nitroglycerin invented by the Italians. The explosive power of nitroglycerin is greater than Black powder is much larger, but it is not easy to control, it is easy to explode on its own, and it is not easy to explode according to human requirements. It is very dangerous to make, store and transport. People do not know how to use it, so in the more than ten years after its invention, People only use it to treat angina pectoris.
Nobel started with the manufacture and research of nitroglycerin. At first, he used black gunpowder to detonate nitroglycerin, and later invented a detonator to detonate nitroglycerin, and achieved the goal of making nitroglycerin explode. An effective method.
After the initial success, there was a huge setback when the laboratory exploded. Nobel had to move the laboratory to the ship. After several twists and turns, he ended up in a place called Winterwegen. He found a new factory site and built the world's first nitroglycerin factory there.
On the road to Nobel research, it was really difficult and troubled. The nitroglycerin he produced was often An explosion occurred: a train in the United States was blown into a pile of scrap metal; a factory in Germany was reduced to rubble; a shipwreck sank, killing people.
These tragic accidents have made the world Countries lost confidence in nitroglycerin, and some countries ordered a ban on the manufacture, storage and transportation of nitroglycerin. Under such difficult circumstances, Nobel did not lose heart and would never give up until the instability of nitroglycerin was solved. After many times After repeated experiments, he finally invented a way to absorb three parts of nitroglycerine with one part of diatomaceous earth (a very small biological shell called diatom), and for the first time made a product that was safe to transport and use. Industrial explosives. Nobel continued his efforts and took his invention a step further. He invented a highly explosive jelly--explosive glue using guncotton and nitroglycerin. He then added a small amount of camphor to nitroglycerin and explosives. Smokeless gunpowder was made from glue.
After the invention of safety explosives, they were immediately widely used in mining, road construction, etc. The output of explosives increased significantly, and Nobel's financial resources also rolled in. .But Nobel's life was still very frugal. In order to do research, he never even married. One year before his death, Nobel left a will, using part of his inheritance to establish a scientific research institute, and the other part as a reward fund to award physics, chemistry , biology, medicine, literature and peace (an economic prize was added in 1968) prizes, awarded to people around the world who have made outstanding contributions in the above fields. People regard winning the Nobel Prize as a great honor in science .
Nobel was very thin when he was a child. When he was ten years old, he went to Beidelburg, Russia with his mother, reunited with his father, and began to receive guidance from his tutor. When he was seventeen years old, he went to the United States to study. Two years later, he returned to China and joined his father's company to engage in research.
Nobel was influenced by his father and was very interested in studying explosives. Later, he made a lot of money by manufacturing explosives and developing oil fields. However, he was very sad to see the explosives he invented used in war, so he worked hard throughout his life to appeal to the world to use gunpowder for peace. Nobel used his huge fortune to establish a fund and issue bonuses every year to people in the world who have made outstanding contributions to physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, literature, and peace. Being able to win the Nobel Prize has always been considered a great honor!
It was foggy in the laboratory, and Nobel was working selflessly. His brother came to him and said: "Nobel , I am sorting out the genealogy of our family. You are a world-famous person. How can I do it without your autobiography? Please write one.
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“Brother, no need.” "
"What can we do?" Nobel's brother persuaded, "Brother, you are not writing your autobiography for yourself, but for our family! You write it. Having your autobiography in our family's family tree will add luster! "
Nobel still disagreed, so his brother repeatedly persuaded him. Finally, he even begged: "Brother, are you afraid of wasting your time? If so, just tell me and I will record it. , Organize it. ”
“It’s really hard for me to obey. "Nobel's attitude was modest, but he said firmly, "I can't write an autobiography. There are as many planets as Ganges sand grains in the whirlpool of the universe, but we are insignificant, what is there to write about! ”
That’s it! He thinks that everything he does is just a little thing that should be done for mankind. Why should he exchange his small contribution to mankind in exchange for honor. Therefore, he never agreed. .
Nobel’s brother had no choice but to leave with a sigh.
Nobel’s will is the essence of his ideals and the fruit of his hard work. He is extremely wealthy, but he is unwilling to distribute his property to his relatives and friends. He believes that large amounts of property are a scourge that hinders human talents. Those who have wealth should only leave necessary education expenses to their children. Too much money rewards laziness and prevents them from developing their talents.
Therefore, despite the opposition of his relatives and friends, he decided to use all his property to establish the Nobel Prize to reward the contemporary world. Elite.