Strange story is true: Scientists used leeches to forecast the weather?

In the 1800s, scientists used leeches placed in a glass jar to predict the weather of the day.

In the old days, people had many different ways to forecast the weather of the day based on the characteristics of nature, including plants, animals, insects, . Because these are quite sensitive things to The weather should be able to make an early forecast of impending events. For example, when a frog calls loudly or a bird flies in a flock to its nest, there are signs of an upcoming thunderstorm.

The leeches were used to forecast the weather in 1800 by Dr. George Merryweather.

Even in the 1800s, leeches were used to forecast the weather of the day. Dr. George Merryweather, an English doctor living in the 19th century was the one who found this interesting forecast.

As a doctor, Merryweather had many opportunities to interact with creatures, including leeches. And after watching the leeches for a while, Merryweather realized that the leeches also changed their "lifestyle" based on the weather.

Specifically, when the weather is normal, such as sunny days, leeches will only be at the bottom of a glass jar. But just a few hours before a thunderstorm struck, the leeches immediately emerged from the water and began to get excited. They even curled into balls and so on after feeling the storm pass. After a period of turbulent times, the plates will stretch out again and relax.

It was the reflexes that were as fast as a computer of leeches that brought ideas to Merryweather. He built a device called the "Atmospheric Electromagnetic Telegraph conducted by Animal Instinct" , roughly known as an animal-based weather forecast device . It is capable of early forecasting storms and many other weather phenomena.

This weather forecast device is made up of 12 glass bottles, each with a live leech and water pouring about 4cm high. At the neck of the bottle is attached a whale horn plate. The horn plate is attached with a small hammer that knocks at the metal bell to alert.

Experiments based on weather reports with leeches.

When the storm is detected early, leeches will move out of the water and climb onto the top of the bottle. However, they will be blocked at the neck of the bottle. Even so, when leeches struggle to escape the bottle, they can push the horns off and make a bell. Merryweather could rely on the number of consecutive bells to predict the storm.

The British doctor took about a year to perfect the device and sent a letter to the Philosophical Society to recommend a leeches weather forecast machine. He even lobbied the authorities to use the device on sea trips.

Regrettably, the United Kingdom used an invention called "storm glass ", a meteorological instrument that used a special liquid to predict the weather that was introduced in 1750 instead of a weather forecast. with leeches by Merryweather.

The leeches weather forecast device is on display at a museum in the UK.

Since then, Merryweather's work has been a thing of the past. There is still a copy of the leeches weather forecast on display at the Whitby Town Museum in the United Kingdom.

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