November 28, 1857
1 min read
Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm“Big Ben”
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
This large bell, which was said to have the sweetest sound, for its size, of any bell in the world, and which was intended for the new Houses of Parliament, London, is cracked, and will have to be re-cast. It was suspended a few feet from the ground, waiting the arrival of the four quarter-bells, before it was hoisted to its resting-place in the tower, and was regularly struck at one o'clock, to keep it in tune. The accident is supposed to have arisen from the fact that too large a hammer was used before it was properly hung.
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.
