Fahrenheit or Centigrade.

The UK weather system, the sort of thing rocket scientists use as an example of what is too complicated for even their lofty brains to understand, has dealt me a kind and rather useful hand. It is a barmy 31 degrees centigrade, thats 88 degrees fahrenheit, which is good preparation for the searing heat of Los Angeles and the humidity of Mexico. While these temperatures are common place for where I am headed, for where I am they are something of a rarity. It's the kind of day where an active lawn mower is never out of ear shot. I'm sure that if you gather together all the mowers that were running at any given moment on a day like today in maidenhead they would create a noise similar to that which has drowned out the usual vibrant atmosphere of a world cup match.

Weather, or more exactly temperature, or more exactly still the measurement of temperature, is to be the topic of this post. One of the many adjustments and Englishman has to perform when in the states is the trill of translating the non-sensical figures of fahrenheit into the more practical and metric centigrade. Lord knows how hot 100 degrees F is, but is sounds positively ghastly, however I am told it isn't as bad as all that. As a part of my mission to elaborate on the various differences between our versions of english I thought I would explain briefly the origins of the two measurements and why the Yanks went with their one and the rest of the world went with the other.

Fahrenheit:

I mention this one 1st as it was the 1st to be mentioned, by Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit in 1724. using three reference points of temperature Fahrenheit, using his scale work out the freezing, or melting, point of water to be 32 degrees F and 96 degrees F was the temperature of his thermometer when held in the mouth or under the armpit of his wife, though any wife would have done.

Celsius:

The scientific world was quick to pick up on the fact that scale Fahrenheit used was a little too bizarre to be considered practical. fortunately a new scale was hot on its heal and in 1742 Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius proposed a new, metric scale. however, showing a talent for getting the wrong end of the stick, almost literally in this case, Celsius put boiling point at 0 and freezing point at 100. (I have an image in my head of husband and wife in the car with wife holding the map upside down). It would take the passing of 2 years and of Celsius himself for common sense to manifest itself with Carolus Linnaeus' reversal of the system.

Interestingly enough, almost all scientific fields in the US use Celsius, but the general public are more comfortable and familiar with the fahrenheit system, so for weather broadcast and such things this system still in use, though the celsius system is taught in schools and can be found in many good cook books.

So all you needed to know about fahrenheit only to find out that you didn't really need to know it. 4 day until lift off and the blog can really commence.

Chiao for now,

Chris.