Births on February 18

Ernst Mach

Born on February 18, 1838

Ernst Mach, Austrian physicist and philosopher (d. 1916)

Ernst Waldfried Josef Wenzel Mach ( MAHKH, German: [ɛʁnst ˈmax]; 18 February 1838 – 19 February 1916) was a Moravian-born Austrian physicist and philosopher, who contributed to the physics of shock waves. The ratio of one's speed to that of sound is named the Mach number in his honour. As a philosopher of science, he was a major influence on logical positivism and American pragmatism. Through his criticism of Newton's theories of space and time, he foreshadowed Einstein's theory of relativity.

References

Ernst Mach

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Events on 1838

6 Jan

Telegraphy
Alfred Vail demonstrates a telegraph system using dots and dashes (this is the forerunner of Morse code).
28 Jun

Queen Victoria
Coronation of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.
18 Aug

Puget Sound
The Wilkes Expedition, which would explore the Puget Sound and Antarctica, weighs anchor at Hampton Roads.
3 Sep

Frederick Douglass
Future abolitionist Frederick Douglass escapes from slavery.
27 Oct

Extermination Order (Mormonism)
Missouri governor Lilburn Boggs issues the Extermination Order, which orders all Mormons to leave the state or be exterminated.

Births on February 18

Ernst Mach

Born on February 18, 1838

References

Choose Another Date

Events on 1838

Telegraphy

Queen Victoria

Puget Sound

Frederick Douglass

Extermination Order (Mormonism)