Anders Celsius: Measuring Temperature

Have you ever wondered how we know exactly how hot or cold something is? We use something called temperature to measure it! One of the most common ways we measure temperature is using the Celsius scale. But do you know who invented it?

Early Life and Education

A scientist named Anders Celsius invented the Celsius scale. Anders was born in Uppsala, Sweden, on November 27, 1701. His family was full of smart people! His father was a professor of astronomy, and his grandfather was a famous mathematician. Anders studied at Uppsala University, where his father taught. He was very interested in math and science.

Contributions to Science

Celsius became a professor of astronomy at Uppsala University in 1730. He built the first astronomy observatory in Sweden. Anders made many important observations about the stars and the Earth. However, he is most famous for creating the Celsius temperature scale.

Before Celsius, people used different and confusing ways to measure temperature. In 1742, Celsius presented his new scale to the Swedish Academy of Sciences. In his scale, he originally set 0 degrees as the boiling point of water and 100 degrees as the freezing point. After Celsius died in 1744, the scale was reversed to show 0 degrees as the freezing point and 100 degrees as the boiling point of water. This is the Celsius scale we use today!

Legacy

The Celsius scale is used in most countries around the world. Scientists use it, and so do people in their daily lives. Thanks to Anders Celsius, we have a simple and accurate way to measure temperature. Next time you hear the temperature forecast, remember the scientist who made it all possible!