Charles Wheatstone, English-French physicist and cryptographer (d. 1875)
Sir Charles Wheatstone FRS FRSE DCL LLD (6 February 1802 – 19 October 1875), was an English scientist and inventor of many scientific breakthroughs of the Victorian era, including the English concertina, the stereoscope (a device for displaying three-dimensional images), and the Playfair cipher (an encryption technique). However, Wheatstone is best known for his contributions in the development of the Wheatstone bridge, originally invented by Samuel Hunter Christie, which is used to measure an unknown electrical resistance, and as a major figure in the development of telegraphy.
1802Feb, 6
Charles Wheatstone
Choose Another Date
Events on 1802
- 28Mar
2 Pallas
Heinrich Wilhelm Matthäus Olbers discovers 2 Pallas, the second asteroid ever to be discovered. - 21Apr
Wahhabi sack of Karbala
Twelve thousand Wahhabis under Abdul-Aziz bin Muhammad, invaded city of Karbala, killed over three thousand inhabitants, and sacked the city. - 28May
Louis Delgrès
In Guadeloupe, 400 rebellious slaves, led by Louis Delgrès, blow themselves up rather than submit to Napoleon's troops - 4Jul
United States Military Academy
At West Point, New York, the United States Military Academy opens. - 3Sep
Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802
William Wordsworth composes the sonnet Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802.