On surfing the net, if you search for the inventor(s) of the radio, you will get to see the names of Tesla and Marconi(and others). But I think Google has removed the existence of a man, without whom we would perceive the world in a completely different manner. A polymath, no less than an eccentric genius, Jagadish Chandra Bose made immense contributions to the fields of biology, physics, botany, and Bengal science fiction. Without access to elaborate physics laboratories, he managed to invent and build myriad apparatuses, that proved to be a strong foundation for the upcoming developments in Radio Science and Biophysics.


J.C Bose

Bose graduated from St. Xavier's College before he left out to study medicine at the University of London. He was compelled to abandon his education at Cambridge due to his deterioration in health, which was further worsened by the strain of his studies. He returned to his motherland, to serve in the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Sciences for a few months. He joined the Presidency College as the Professor of Physics. 

Earlier, he had no intention to start research, but, partly due to his wife's encouragement, on his 37th birthday in 1887, he suddenly declared that he will initiate his research on Electric Waves.

Research in Physics: Bose

In 1820, Ørsted showed that when an electric current passes through a conducting wire, a magnetic needle is deflected if kept in the vicinity. In 1821, Faraday improvised the experiment by stating that when a current passes through the wire, a magnetic field is generated, in which the magnetic lines of forces are circular. Inversely, when a magnet is pushed inside a conducting coil, an electric current is generated inside it. Much later, in 1864, James Clerk Maxwell carried out mathematical calculations which showed that alteration in the electric current flowing through the wire will result in the formation of Electromagnetic Waves(EMWs). These waves showed similar properties to that of light. But, the only difference was that light cannot penetrate opaque objects, and the EMWs can. 

Edouard and Lodge developed the instrument called "Coherer"(coined by Lodge) which is a detector/receiver of EMWs. It consisted of a glass tube filled with iron fillings. When EMWs passed through the iron fillings, they came into mutual contact, therefore, decreasing the resistance in them, and allowing electric current to flow. Initially, Hertz also constructed a device, to generate EMWs of longer wavelengths.

Jagadish Bose realized the drawbacks of the Hertz-made receiver:
  •  The hugeness of the machine was one of the major setbacks.
  • Also, longer wavelength EMWs cannot be used to study the properties of light, since they are not error-free.
Therefore, he invented a device where, instead of glass tubes filled with iron dust, he used short and long iron springs kept inside a glass tube, which came into contact once EMWs pass through them, thus reducing resisting and allowing the flow of current. The two ends of the tube are in contact with the galvanometer. 

Bose invented several instruments to facilitate the study of microwaves. Some of them are:
  1. Di-electric Lens - Used to focus the microwaves
  2. Spark - Transmitter - Used to produce sharp and polarised microwaves
  3. Horn-Antenna- A type of aerial receiver
  4. Automatic activating coherer and metal contact receiver
Impacts of the discovery of Microwaves:
  • The RADAR system was developed
  • The height of the ionosphere can be determined
  • Television and mobile phones are based on this technology
  • The velocity of a ship in the sea or an airplane in the air can be determined
  • Microwave-oven is based on the technology of microwaves

Microwave Spark Wireless 
Transmitting Apparatus




Microwave Apparatus













Research In Plants: Bose

Ban Chnaral(Desmodium gyrans)








Lajjabati(Mimosa Pudica)















J.C Bose unveiled the answer to a question - "Do plants have sensitivity?". Well, the answer is yes. As a child, Bose was always intrigued by the peculiar movements of some plants. He was so engrossed in the subject of Botany that he was inclined on taking up the job as the Professor of Botany when he joined Presidency College. Later on, he went on to carry out ground-breaking research on plants, specifically - Lajjabati and Ban Chnaral. 

He invented innumerable devices which have been widely accepted worldwide. Some of them are:
  1. Magnetic Crescograph - This device efficiently measured every single movement of plants. It is about 50,000,000 times more sensitive in comparison to the then-highest magnifying microscope.
Biswarup Ganguly , Crescograph - Jagadish Chandra Bose Museum - Bose Institute - Kolkata 2011-07-26 4039 , CC BY 3.0

  
     2. Resonant Recorder - It is used to measure the velocity of transmission of impulses in sensitive                 plants.
    


    3. Electric Probe - This helped in locating the tissues responsible for the transfer of stimuli in the                petioles and stems of sensible plants. 

   4. Photosynthetic Bubbler - It is a very sensitive instrument. Bose built it for recording photosynthetic activity in aquatic plants.  

But I must warn you, J.C Bose's contribution towards botany and physics dosen't end here. This blog merely illustrates a single drop of water amidst the vast ocean of greatness and legacy that Bose left behind. The only thing we can do in return, is to recognize and acknowledge what this man has done for the society.


This brings you to the end of this blog!! Happy Learning!!


"Everyone must work for the honor of the country in his own way and according to his own light"
                                                                                                 --Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose