Confused by Google’s logo today? The Internet search site is honoring Samuel Morse’s birthday, the inventor of Morse Code!
Born April 27, 1791 in Massachusetts, he went on to attend Yale University. Morse was first known for being a talented artist, earning much of his money during school from painting. Upon graduation, he spent over twenty years developing his artistic skills and living off of commissions.
It was not until 1832, at the age of 41, did Morse meet Charles Thomas Jackson, an expert on electromagnetism. After spending time with Jackson, Morse developed the idea of the single wire telegraph. However, it took many years for the communication method to be adopted. In 1842, Morse resorted to traveling to Washington, DC to demonstrate for Congressmen by stringing a wire between two rooms in the Capitol and sending messages.
Although Morse Code soon became the standard method of swift long-distance communication, Morse never felt properly recognized by the US government. It was not until 1871, a year before his death, that a statue of Morse was unveiled in New York’s Central Park. And yet his creation is still widely known today, most popularly through the distress signal SOS.
Google often puts up special “Google Doodles” commemorating certain dates. Common holidays such as Valentine’s Day and the Fourth of July get special logos for the day, as do lesser known anniversaries such as Dr. Seuss’ birthday and Teacher’s Day.
.– .- -. – / – — / – .-. .- -. … .-.. .- – . / .. -. – — / — — .-. … . / -.-. — -.. . ..–.. (Want to translate into Morse Code?) Check out this translator, which gives you the Code, as well as how it sounds!
Let's not forget Morse's long-time assistant and major contributor Alfred Vale, who, under the direction of Morse, sent the first trans-Atlantic morse code message from an old barn in Morris Plains, NJ. The barn is largely unnoticed by the residents, although it stands across the street from the Alfred Vale Elementary School. I would be willing to bet that none of the teachers in the school know who Alfred Vale was…..he at least deserves honorable mention if we are to mention Jackson.
Morse code is no longer used by ships to talk to each other, of course, but it remains a handy skill to have. After all, if you are ever held hostage you be unable to use the internet to communicate with fellow captives in other rooms, but Morse code tapped on to a heating pipe will convey your messages – assuming that the other person understands it, too. So get learning! It's actually surprisingly easy to master.
Son of a World War II signaller
We don't need to honor the man's beliefs. They were different times. People are often products of their parents beliefs. Yes, prejudiced is an ugly thing.
We are honoring his accomplishments which led to wireless communications.
Often the brightest men are ignorant of social interactions and understanding of simple or obvious (to us) respect of cultures.
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