Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Entertainment
Martin Pengelly

‘He has different personas’: inside Benjamin Franklin’s life as a scientist

Black and white drawing of a man
‘I think what remains is sort of his outline for the scientific method.’ Photograph: Popperfoto

Asked how he came to write Ingenious, his new biography of Benjamin Franklin presenting the American founder in light of his work as a scientist, the author and clean energy advocate Richard Munson offers “two reasons. One is that I’ve been fascinated with innovators. My last book looked at Nikola Tesla, who brought us the electric motor, radio remote control, the list goes on. And Franklin just seemed like another remarkable individual who brought new ideas to life.

“But it also struck me that at this time with our modern politics, he has great relevance – while there’s a growing group of activists that dismiss science and reject facts. Franklin was saying: ‘There’s nothing more important than experimentation, observation, verifiable analysis.’

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.