Famous Science Experiments

Some experiments have changed the world. From Ben Franklin flying a kite in a thunderstorm to Galileo dropping balls from a tower, bold experiments have helped us understand nature. These famous experiments showed the power of testing ideas and asking questions.

Experiments That Changed Science

In the 1600s, Galileo showed that heavy and light objects fall at the same speed. In 1752, Benjamin Franklin used a kite to prove that lightning is electricity. In the 1800s, Louis Pasteur proved that germs cause disease. In 1953, Watson and Crick discovered the structure of DNA. Each experiment opened a new chapter in science.

What Makes a Great Experiment

Great experiments start with a bold question. They are designed carefully to test one idea at a time. They produce clear results that other scientists can repeat. Sometimes great experiments prove an idea right. Other times they prove an idea wrong, which is just as important. The best experiments change how we see the world.

Fun Facts

• Isaac Newton used a prism to show that white light is made of many colors.
• Marie Curie's experiments with radioactivity won her two Nobel Prizes.
• Gregor Mendel discovered the basics of genetics by growing pea plants in a garden.

Did You Know?

Galileo's experiment dropping objects from the Leaning Tower of Pisa may never have actually happened. But his careful experiments with ramps and rolling balls really did prove that all objects fall at the same rate regardless of weight!