Did Abraham Lincoln Invent Wind Power?
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You know who predicted the age of wind power? Abraham Lincoln, that’s who.
A New York Times article dated Nov. 22, 1936, quotes from a lecturetitled “Discoveries and Inventions” Lincoln gave in 1860, before hebecame president. Here’s the relevant part:
“Of all the forces of nature, I should think the wind contains thelargest amount of motive power … Take any given space of the earth’ssurface, for instance, Illinois, and all the power exerted by all themen, beasts, running water and steam over and upon it shall not equalthe 100th part of what is exerted by the blowing of the wind over andupon the same place. And yet it has not, so far in the world’s history,become properly valued as motive power. It is applied extensively andadvantageously to sail vessels in navigation. Add to this a fewwindmills and pumps and you have about all. As yet the wind is anuntamed, unharnessed force, and quite possibly one of the greatestdiscoveries hereafter to be made will be the taming and harnessing ofit.”
Pretty cool, no?
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