Bernaert (probably), Joseph Plateau (researcher) 1844 Wire figure study surface tension
Photograph of wire models Gent University Museum (GUM - Gents Universiteitsmuseum & Plantentuin) (Curatorial description) When you immerse these figures in soapy water, soap films form between the threads. Physics professor Joseph Plateau used them for his research on surface tension. But soap bubbles don't last long. This makes scientific observation difficult. That's why Plateau enlisted the help of photographer Adolphe Neyt. Photography was a relatively new technique at the time, and Neyt was the expert. Thanks to Neyt, Joseph Plateau succeeded in capturing the fragile soap bubbles in three-dimensional stereo photographs. This allowed him to observe them unhindered and share his observations with fellow scientists. The moral of the story? When scientists break away from their disciplines and put their heads together, new insights emerge.
