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2015 | OriginalPaper | Buchkapitel

Captain Nemo’s Battery: Chemistry and the Science Fiction of Jules Verne

verfasst von : William B. Jensen

Erschienen in: Culture of Chemistry

Verlag: Springer US

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Excerpt

My high school English teacher always insisted that the first prerequisite of a good essay was a catchy title, and I flatter myself that my choice for this literary excursion is not half bad. Thus, it is with a great deal of reluctance that I must also immediately confess that it is misleading—misleading because of the existence of two very common and widespread myths about Jules Verne (Fig. 1).

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Literatur
1.
Zurück zum Zitat Quoted in Gunn, J. Alternate Worlds: The Illustrated History of Science Fiction; A&W Visual Library: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1975; p 120. See also Moskowitz, S. Explorers of the Infinite: Shapers of Science Fiction; Hyperion Press: Westport, CT, 1974; Chapter 19. Quoted in Gunn, J. Alternate Worlds: The Illustrated History of Science Fiction; A&W Visual Library: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1975; p 120. See also Moskowitz, S. Explorers of the Infinite: Shapers of Science Fiction; Hyperion Press: Westport, CT, 1974; Chapter 19.
2.
Zurück zum Zitat Evans, A. B. Jules Verne Rediscovered: Didacticism and the Scientific Novel; Greenwood Press: Westport. CT, 1988. Though intended for adults and far better researched, Verne’s novels actually have more in common with such juvenilia as the Tom Swift series than with modern science fiction. Evans, A. B. Jules Verne Rediscovered: Didacticism and the Scientific Novel; Greenwood Press: Westport. CT, 1988. Though intended for adults and far better researched, Verne’s novels actually have more in common with such juvenilia as the Tom Swift series than with modern science fiction.
3.
Zurück zum Zitat A good example of a butchered version of Twenty Thousand Leagues can be found in Jules Verne, Classic Science Fiction: Three Complete Novels; Russell, A. K., Ed.; Castle Books. Secaucus, NJ, 1981. Though care was taken in this collection and in its earlier companion volume (The Best of Jules Verne: Three Complete Novels; Russell, A. K., Ed.; Castle Books: Secaucus, NJ, 1978) to reproduce all of the nineteenth-century French illustrations to the novels, most of which had been deleted from the original English editions, similar care was not taken with the text. As a consequence, the version of Twenty Thousand Leagues which it reprints is missing virtually all of the technical passages found in the version given in Ref. 4 and which I quote in this article. A good example of a butchered version of Twenty Thousand Leagues can be found in Jules Verne, Classic Science Fiction: Three Complete Novels; Russell, A. K., Ed.; Castle Books. Secaucus, NJ, 1981. Though care was taken in this collection and in its earlier companion volume (The Best of Jules Verne: Three Complete Novels; Russell, A. K., Ed.; Castle Books: Secaucus, NJ, 1978) to reproduce all of the nineteenth-century French illustrations to the novels, most of which had been deleted from the original English editions, similar care was not taken with the text. As a consequence, the version of Twenty Thousand Leagues which it reprints is missing virtually all of the technical passages found in the version given in Ref. 4 and which I quote in this article.
4.
Zurück zum Zitat Miller, W. J. The Annotated Jules Verne: Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea; Crowell: New York, 1976; pp 54–55, 75–77, 100. Miller, W. J. The Annotated Jules Verne: Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea; Crowell: New York, 1976; pp 54–55, 75–77, 100.
5.
Zurück zum Zitat Verne refers to these reactions again in a later chapter entitled “Want of Air” in which the Nautilus becomes trapped under the ice and the crew is caught in a frantic struggle to free her before they die of suffocation. Verne refers to these reactions again in a later chapter entitled “Want of Air” in which the Nautilus becomes trapped under the ice and the crew is caught in a frantic struggle to free her before they die of suffocation.
6.
Zurück zum Zitat In addition to the 1954 Disney film, there are two earlier silent-film versions of Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, one made by Universal Studios in 1916 and the other by the French director George Méliès in 1907. In addition to the 1954 Disney film, there are two earlier silent-film versions of Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, one made by Universal Studios in 1916 and the other by the French director George Méliès in 1907.
7.
Zurück zum Zitat For historical background on these batteries, see (a) Dunsch, L. Geschichte der Elektrochemie; Deutscher Verlag für Grundstoffindustrie: Leipzig, 1985; pp 56–57; (b) Ritter von Urbanitzky, A. Electricity in the Service of Man: A Popular and Practical Treatise on the Applications of Electricity in Modern Life; Cassell: London, 1886; pp 106–115; (c) Lowry, T. Inorganic Chemistry; Macmillan: London, 1931; pp 208–209; (d) Benjamin, P. The Voltaic Cell: Its Construction and Capacity; Wiley: New York, 1893; and (e) Slock, J. T. “Bunsen’s Batteries and the Electric Arc”, J. Chem. Educ. 1995, 72, 99–102. For historical background on these batteries, see (a) Dunsch, L. Geschichte der Elektrochemie; Deutscher Verlag für Grundstoffindustrie: Leipzig, 1985; pp 56–57; (b) Ritter von Urbanitzky, A. Electricity in the Service of Man: A Popular and Practical Treatise on the Applications of Electricity in Modern Life; Cassell: London, 1886; pp 106–115; (c) Lowry, T. Inorganic Chemistry; Macmillan: London, 1931; pp 208–209; (d) Benjamin, P. The Voltaic Cell: Its Construction and Capacity; Wiley: New York, 1893; and (e) Slock, J. T. “Bunsen’s Batteries and the Electric Arc”, J. Chem. Educ. 1995, 72, 99–102.
8.
Zurück zum Zitat There seems to be considerable confusion in the literature as to who actually invented the dichromate cell. Kevin Desmond, in his reference work A Timetable of Inventions and Discoveries (Evans: New York, 1986), claims that it was invented by Heinrich Ruhmkorff in 1855; Dunsch (Ref. 7a) attributes it to Robert Bunsen in 1842; Benjamin (Ref. 7d) claims that it was developed by Johann C. Poggendorff the same year; and Stock (Ref. 7e) claims that it was mentioned in passing by Bunsen in 1841 and discussed in detail by Robert Warington in 1842. Of these four authors, only Stock provides original literature citations to support his claims. There seems to be considerable confusion in the literature as to who actually invented the dichromate cell. Kevin Desmond, in his reference work A Timetable of Inventions and Discoveries (Evans: New York, 1986), claims that it was invented by Heinrich Ruhmkorff in 1855; Dunsch (Ref. 7a) attributes it to Robert Bunsen in 1842; Benjamin (Ref. 7d) claims that it was developed by Johann C. Poggendorff the same year; and Stock (Ref. 7e) claims that it was mentioned in passing by Bunsen in 1841 and discussed in detail by Robert Warington in 1842. Of these four authors, only Stock provides original literature citations to support his claims.
9.
Zurück zum Zitat The emf values quoted correspond to unit activities. In practice, the nitric acid in the cells was much more concentrated, and Benjamin (Ref. 7d) reports actual operating values of 1.60–1.90 V for the Grove cell and 1.93–1.96 V for the Bunsen cell, whereas lowry (Ref. 7c) reports values of 1.80–1.96 V for the Grove cell. The emf values quoted correspond to unit activities. In practice, the nitric acid in the cells was much more concentrated, and Benjamin (Ref. 7d) reports actual operating values of 1.60–1.90 V for the Grove cell and 1.93–1.96 V for the Bunsen cell, whereas lowry (Ref. 7c) reports values of 1.80–1.96 V for the Grove cell.
10.
Zurück zum Zitat The emf values quoted correspond to unit activities. In practice, the solutions were much more concentrated. Benjamin (Ref. 7d) reports actual operating value of 1.92–2.2 V for the dichromate cell, whereas Lowry (Ref. 7c) reports a value of 2.0 V. The emf values quoted correspond to unit activities. In practice, the solutions were much more concentrated. Benjamin (Ref. 7d) reports actual operating value of 1.92–2.2 V for the dichromate cell, whereas Lowry (Ref. 7c) reports a value of 2.0 V.
11.
Zurück zum Zitat The “idealized” emf values quoted are based on unit activities. The actual voltage of Nemo’s sodium cell would depend on the activity of the sodium in the amalgam. The value of 1.957 V for the sodium amalgam half-cell reported by Dietrick et al. (Dietrick, H.; Yeager, E.; Hovorka, F. The Electrochemical Properties of Dilute Sodium Amalgams; U.S. Office of the Naval Research, Technical Report 3; Western Reserve University: Cleveland OH, 1953) would give an overall value of 3.29 V for the cell, which is only about one and half times that of the dichromate cell. This suggests that Nemo was using very concentrated amalgams in his cells. The “idealized” emf values quoted are based on unit activities. The actual voltage of Nemo’s sodium cell would depend on the activity of the sodium in the amalgam. The value of 1.957 V for the sodium amalgam half-cell reported by Dietrick et al. (Dietrick, H.; Yeager, E.; Hovorka, F. The Electrochemical Properties of Dilute Sodium Amalgams; U.S. Office of the Naval Research, Technical Report 3; Western Reserve University: Cleveland OH, 1953) would give an overall value of 3.29 V for the cell, which is only about one and half times that of the dichromate cell. This suggests that Nemo was using very concentrated amalgams in his cells.
12.
Zurück zum Zitat The only nineteenth-century estimates reported by Benjamin (Ref. 7d) for the emf values of sodium amalgams are those originally reported by Antoine-César Becquerel and his son, Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel, in their 1855 volume Traité expérimental de l’électricité et du magnétisme. These range from 2.303 to 2.334 V, which again gives an overall emf value that is only about one and half times that of the standard dichromate cell. The only nineteenth-century estimates reported by Benjamin (Ref. 7d) for the emf values of sodium amalgams are those originally reported by Antoine-César Becquerel and his son, Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel, in their 1855 volume Traité expérimental de l’électricité et du magnétisme. These range from 2.303 to 2.334 V, which again gives an overall emf value that is only about one and half times that of the standard dichromate cell.
13.
Zurück zum Zitat A nineteenth-century account of the chemistry underlying all of the manufacturing processes described by Verne in both Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea and The Mysterious Island can be found in the Encyclopaedia of Chemistry, Theoretical, Practical and Analytical as Applied to the Arts and Manufacturers (2 volumes; Lippincott: Philadelphia, 1879), under the entries for sodium, pottery, cement, iron, steel, soap, alum, sulfuric acid, nitroglycerin, candles, sugar, guncotton, and glass. A nineteenth-century account of the chemistry underlying all of the manufacturing processes described by Verne in both Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea and The Mysterious Island can be found in the Encyclopaedia of Chemistry, Theoretical, Practical and Analytical as Applied to the Arts and Manufacturers (2 volumes; Lippincott: Philadelphia, 1879), under the entries for sodium, pottery, cement, iron, steel, soap, alum, sulfuric acid, nitroglycerin, candles, sugar, guncotton, and glass.
14.
Zurück zum Zitat Meyer, H. W. A History of Electricity and Magnetism; MIT Press: Cambridge, MA, 1971; pp 174–175. Meyer, H. W. A History of Electricity and Magnetism; MIT Press: Cambridge, MA, 1971; pp 174–175.
15.
Zurück zum Zitat Verne, J. The Mysterious Island; A. L. Burt : New York, no date; pp 57, 90, 94–95, 96, 107–113, 124–126, 126–127, 145–146, 162–163, 225–226, 234–235, 250–252, 311–312. This is one of many inexpensive rip-off editions of Verne. Other English translations of this novel use the name Cyrus Smith, rather than Cyrus Harding, for the engineer-hero. Unfortunately I have been unable to examine a French edition and so cannot tell which rendition is the correct one. The Mysterious Island has been filmed three times: once by MGM in 1929, and twice by Columbia Pictures, in 1951 and 1961, respectively. Captain Nemo was played by Lionel Barrymore in the 1929 production and by Herbert Lom in the 1961 production. Verne, J. The Mysterious Island; A. L. Burt : New York, no date; pp 57, 90, 94–95, 96, 107–113, 124–126, 126–127, 145–146, 162–163, 225–226, 234–235, 250–252, 311–312. This is one of many inexpensive rip-off editions of Verne. Other English translations of this novel use the name Cyrus Smith, rather than Cyrus Harding, for the engineer-hero. Unfortunately I have been unable to examine a French edition and so cannot tell which rendition is the correct one. The Mysterious Island has been filmed three times: once by MGM in 1929, and twice by Columbia Pictures, in 1951 and 1961, respectively. Captain Nemo was played by Lionel Barrymore in the 1929 production and by Herbert Lom in the 1961 production.
16.
Zurück zum Zitat Later in the novel, the resources of the castaways are further supplemented by accidental finds of supplies that have apparently washed ashore from wrecked ships but which are, in fact, provided by Captain Nemo, who has been secretly observing their progress. Later in the novel, the resources of the castaways are further supplemented by accidental finds of supplies that have apparently washed ashore from wrecked ships but which are, in fact, provided by Captain Nemo, who has been secretly observing their progress.
17.
Zurück zum Zitat There are some obvious confusions in this quote, which again reflect the low quality of most English translations of Verne’s novels emphasized by Miller in Ref. 4. There are some obvious confusions in this quote, which again reflect the low quality of most English translations of Verne’s novels emphasized by Miller in Ref. 4.
18.
Zurück zum Zitat Becquerel, A. C. Traité de physique considérée dans ses rapports avec la chimie et les sciences naturelles; Didot: Paris, 1844; Vol. 2, pp 300–301. Becquerel, A. C. Traité de physique considérée dans ses rapports avec la chimie et les sciences naturelles; Didot: Paris, 1844; Vol. 2, pp 300–301.
19.
20.
Zurück zum Zitat Latimer, W. Oxidation Potentials, 2nd ed.; Prentice-Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1952; p 93. For consistency, this reference has been used to calculate all other thermodynamic values cited in the article. Latimer, W. Oxidation Potentials, 2nd ed.; Prentice-Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1952; p 93. For consistency, this reference has been used to calculate all other thermodynamic values cited in the article.
21.
Zurück zum Zitat Verne may have been misled by Becquerel’s remark in Ref. 18 that the emf of his cell could be increased by substituting zinc for platinum at the anode. He may not have realized that a similar substitution would not work for the cathode, nor that the increase in the emf is due, in the case of the anode substitution, to oxidation of the zinc. Verne may have been misled by Becquerel’s remark in Ref. 18 that the emf of his cell could be increased by substituting zinc for platinum at the anode. He may not have realized that a similar substitution would not work for the cathode, nor that the increase in the emf is due, in the case of the anode substitution, to oxidation of the zinc.
22.
Zurück zum Zitat I have discussed several of these in greater detail in the essays “Sir Humphry Davy and the Hollow Earth: The Geochemistry of Journey to the Center of the Earth” and “Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers: Synthetic Diamonds in Fact and Fiction” to be published in future issues of The Chemical Intelligencer. I have discussed several of these in greater detail in the essays “Sir Humphry Davy and the Hollow Earth: The Geochemistry of Journey to the Center of the Earth” and “Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers: Synthetic Diamonds in Fact and Fiction” to be published in future issues of The Chemical Intelligencer.
23.
Zurück zum Zitat Quoted in Martin, C. N. La vie et I’oeuvre de Jules Verne; Michel de I’Ormeraie: Paris, 1978; p 200. Quoted in Martin, C. N. La vie et I’oeuvre de Jules Verne; Michel de I’Ormeraie: Paris, 1978; p 200.
Metadaten
Titel
Captain Nemo’s Battery: Chemistry and the Science Fiction of Jules Verne
verfasst von
William B. Jensen
Copyright-Jahr
2015
Verlag
Springer US
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7565-2_42