Reginald Fessenden and the First Radio Broadcast

Reginald Fessenden and the First Radio Broadcast Reginald Fessenden was an electrician, chemist, and employee of Thomas Edison who is responsible for transmitting the first voice message over radio in 1900 and the first radio broadcast in 1906. Early Life and Work With Edison Fessenden was born October 6, 1866, in what is now Quebec, Canada. After he accepted a position serving as principal of a school in Bermuda, Fessenden developed an interest in science. He soon left teaching to pursue a science career in New York City, seeking employment with Thomas Edison. Fessenden initially had trouble attaining employment with Edison. In his first letter seeking employment, he admitted that he [Did] not know anything about electricity, but can learn pretty quick, leading Edison to initially reject him though he would eventually get hired as a tester for Edison Machine Works in 1886, and for Edison Laboratory in New Jersey in 1887 (the successor to Edisons famous Menlo Park lab). His work led him to encounter inventor Thomas Edison face to face. Although Fessenden had been trained as an electrician, Edison wanted to make him a chemist. Fessenden protested the suggestion to which Edison replied, I have had a lot of chemists . . . but none of them can get results. Fessenden turned out to be an excellent chemist, working with insulation for electrical wires. Fessenden was laid off from Edison Laboratory three years after he began working there,  after which he worked for Westinghouse Electric Company In Newark, N.J., and the Stanley Company in Massachusetts. Inventions and Radio Transmission Before he left Edison, though, Fessenden managed to patent several inventions of his own, including patents for telephony and telegraphy. Specifically, according to the National Capitol Commission of Canada, â€Å"he invented the modulation of radio waves, the ‘heterodyne principle,’ which allowed the reception and transmission on the same aerial without interference.â€Å" In the late 1800s, people communicated by radio through Morse code, with radio operators decoding the communication form into messages. Fessenden put an end to this laborious manner of radio communication in 1900, when he transmitted the first voice message in history. Six years afterward, Fessenden improved his technique when on Christmas Eve 1906, ships off the Atlantic coast used his equipment to broadcast the first trans-Atlantic voice and music transmission. By the 1920s, ships of all kinds relied upon Fessendens depth sounding technology.   Fessenden held more than 500 patents and won Scientific Americans Gold Medal in 1929 for the fathometer, an instrument that could measure the depth of water beneath a ships keel. And while Thomas Edison is known for inventing the first commercial light bulb, Fessenden improved upon that creation, asserts the National Capitol Commission of Canada.   He moved with his wife back to her native Bermuda after leaving the radio business due to differences with partners and lengthy lawsuits over his inventions. Fessenden died in Hamilton, Bermuda, in 1932.

How to Take Good Biology Notes

How to Take Good Biology Notes One key to succeeding in biology is having good note-taking skills. It is not enough to just come to class and listen to the instructor. You must be able to take accurate, detailed notes in order to perform well on exams. In fact, most instructors use their lecture notes to come up with at least half, if not more, of their biology exam questions. Below are some good biology note-taking tips that are sure to help you learn how to take biology notes. Follow the Guidelines Some instructors provide course or lecture guidelines. Study these guidelines before class so you will be familiar with the material. Read any assigned materials before class as well. If you know what is going to be discussed beforehand, you will be better prepared to take notes. Get the Main Points An important key ​to success in biology note taking is the ability to focus on and write down the main points. Dont try to write down everything your instructor says, word for word. Its also a good idea to copy down anything the instructor writes on the chalkboard or overhead. This includes drawings, diagrams, or examples. Record the Lecture Many students find it difficult to take good biology notes because some instructors present information very quickly. In this case, ask the instructor for permission to record the lecture. Most instructors dont mind, but in case your instructor says no, you will have to practice taking notes quickly. Ask a friend to read an article quickly while you take notes. Review your notes to see if they are accurate and detailed. Leave Some Space When taking notes, be sure that you have enough space so that you can decipher what you have written. There is nothing more frustrating than having a page full of cramped, illegible notes. You will also want to be sure that you leave extra space in case you need to add more information later. Textbook Highlighting Many students find it useful to highlight information in textbooks. When highlighting, be sure to only highlight specific phrases or keywords. If you highlight every sentence, it will be difficult for you to identify the specific points that you need to focus on. Ensure Accuracy An effective way to ensure that the notes you have taken are accurate is to compare them with the information in your biology text. In addition, speak with the instructor directly and ask for feedback on your notes. Comparing notes with a classmate can also help you to capture the information you may have missed. Reorganize Your Notes Reorganizing your notes serves two purposes. It allows you to rewrite your notes in a format that helps you understand them more clearly, and it helps you to review the material you have written. Review Your Notes Once you have reorganized your biology notes, be sure to review them before the end of the day. Be certain that you know the main points and write a summary of the information. Reviewing your notes is also advantageous when preparing for a biology lab. Prepare For Biology Exams Your biology note-taking skills are essential for preparing for biology exams. You will find that if you follow the instructions above, most of the work in preparing for the exams will have already been done.