Émilie du Châtelet · Science

The Nature of Fire

Du Châtelet’s 1737 essay for the Academy of Sciences prize on the nature of fire: written in secret, entered against Voltaire’s own entry, arguing that heat and light are distinct effects and anticipating what we would call infrared - and the courage of an anonymous submission by a woman shut out of the Academy.

What you'll be able to recall

You learned that du Châtelet secretly entered the 1737 Academy prize on fire (against Voltaire’s own entry), argued that light and heat are distinct effects, and anticipated invisible heating rays - infrared. Explain her main conclusions and why entering anonymously mattered for a woman of her time.

Leads to Francis Bacon.

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