Word for the Wise, January 4

[Uadzit]

Topic: Isaac Newton & Louis Braille

The coincidence of today being both the birth anniversary of Isaac Newton, in 1643, and of Louis Braille, in 1809, finds us ready to celebrate Trivia Day with a nod to those two great men.

What's trivial about the scientist who devised the laws of motion and theory of gravitation? Or about the young man who accidentally blinded himself with his father's awl and went on to use that same tool to create a system by which the visually impaired could read?

Just this. One of these men was honored in his day for his teaching and musical ability, but recognition for his more creative work didn't come until after his death. The other of today's birthday honorees found great satisfaction in tracking down counterfeiters.

Did you figure out which piece of trivia belongs to which man? Louis Braille was recognized as a good teacher, organist, and pianist, but his method of Braille did not catch on until after Braille's early death at age 43.

Sir Isaac Newton lived until 84, but his later years were marked by strange behavior, later traced to heavy metal poisoning. But that scientist also took his sinecure as Master of the Mint seriously, and tracked down counterfeiters with great force.

Questions or comments? Write us at wftw@aol.com Production and research support for Word for the Wise comes from Merriam-Webster, publisher of language reference books and Web sites including Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition.  

[Eggy-Egg]

Ahahaha, on Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald, there's "visual braille". Kind of ironic, no? x333  

[idiotic_mT]

Happy birthday Sir Isaac Newton!!!