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Eureka
Meaning "I have found it!", it is Derived from the Greek word
"heureka". Legend has it that Archimedes made this exclaimation when he
noticed that objects placed in water displace an amount equal to their
own amount. He then used this discovery to solve the problem of measuring
the true gold content King Hiero's crown, which was a task that he was
asked to perform.
This was emailed from a site visitor:
Archimedes is credited with the original use of the word eureka
( "heureka" ). This is accurate, but I feel it is worth mentioning
more about the circumstances of his discovery. Here is the legend as I
have heard it told:
King Hiero had just commissioned a new crown made, but suspected that
it might not be pure, and that the craftsman who made it had cheated him.
Hiero contacted Archimedes, a man known well educated(by the standards
of the time). The king wanted to know how to determine the purity of the
crown without damaging it, and Archimedes was at a loss. He did not know
how to proceed, and went home deep in thought. Eventually, he went to
take a bath. The tub was very full, and when he attempted to sit down,
water spilled over the side. At this point, he realized the now well known
principles of water displacement. It is said that in his excitement and
eagerness to tell the king , he ran naked through the streets shouting
"eureka! eureka!"
I have always found the details funny. though I cannot confirm, off the
top of my head, that the running naked is true, it should amuse site visitors...
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