[Infrastructure] Rose kissed Barcelona

Since Count Güell's family came back from Poland to participate in the Textile Industry Expo, the Earl's House has re-lighted the ball with gorgeous candlelight and melodious music.Celebrities and men and women who have not met for a long time gathered together again to exchange the latest business and fashion information.

"Dear little lotus, how is the electric light research going?"

Joseph, who came back from Poland, hadn't seen Joey for a long time, and when he met him, he smiled and came over, "We are waiting for you to lead the scientists in Barcelona to light up the lights of thousands of houses."

"There has been some progress, but the most important thing has not yet been broken through." Joey tapped his knuckles lightly on the tulip cup filled with light golden sherry, shaking his head helplessly.

"Haven't you made a breakthrough yet? Haven't you been brainstorming?" Joseph touched his chin, "Could it be to lure our appetite on purpose, to hype up the price?"

Joey couldn't help giving him a blank look, "Very well, I will sell my electric lights to everyone in the future - except Joseph Bartello."

While Joseph was howling with his head in his arms, Joey drank the remaining sherry in the glass in one gulp—it was a disguised form of drinking to drown his sorrows.

Since she issued an invitation to the public through the newspaper to study electric lights together, there have indeed been many breakthroughs.

Someone soon sent a thick bell-shaped glass cover-this kind of cover can withstand the vacuum, and there is no need to worry about the thin layer of glass being squeezed by the atmospheric pressure after the bulb is evacuated to a state of near vacuum.

There are also hardware processors who sponsored her hundreds of catties of tungsten wires, tungsten sheets, and even tungsten rods of various alloy compositions, thicknesses, and purity, and generously promised: "Miss Fernandez, you can use these materials as you like! have!"

Joey is of course very grateful for the help of these enthusiastic people.It's a pity that the experiment process is not up to expectations.

After her persevering experiments, many difficulties have been solved one by one, such as the lack of a suitable power source - then use the most primitive liquid primary battery for power supply.

During the production process, Joey couldn't help but think of the scene when he inserted two metal plates into the apple to test the original battery when he was in high school.

Thankfully, someone had already made a primitive liquid battery before her, and she could follow the map; otherwise, it would be really hard for her to imagine the stupidity of getting a bunch of apples to power the lights.

Another example is the composition and material of tungsten wire.

She has been very lucky to know the most suitable metal material for filament, but she never thought that knowing "tungsten" is not enough, what is needed is to add a small amount of oxides of potassium, silicon and aluminum, etc. during the smelting process, and Tungsten wire with uniform wire diameter - the number of experiments to confirm this is probably not too far away from two thousand times.

I just didn't expect to overcome many difficulties, but in the end I was stumped by the bulb shell.Why do light bulbs use such thick glass shells?This unscientific!

Was there a breakthrough in the strength of glass during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries?Obviously, the glass bulbs of later generations look quite thin, but they will not be crushed by atmospheric pressure.

But making glass is really Joy's knowledge blind spot.

Quartz sand, soda ash, limestone... Joey ran to the glass factory himself, and then stared at the huge pile of ingredients and dozens of procedures in a daze.God, she's already drained what little of her high school science inventory is left in her head.

Hey, if I had known that I would travel time-traveling one day, I should have brought my high school physics, chemistry and biology textbooks with me at all times to read and recite them, especially those parts that can be directly operated by memorizing, such as the "Chemistry and Life" in high school chemistry elective one.

Oh no, the best thing to learn is history.Unlike now, she probably knew that World War I would break out in 1914 and World War II would break out in 1939.

Seems like Spain had a civil war?But she can't remember when it was at all, and she can only judge that it should be in the twentieth century based on Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls".

Thankfully, it's still early.

When my career is not going well, I can't help but want to pet cats.

Sitting in front of the laboratory bench for a while, there is no breakthrough in thinking—ah, I heard that pets can reduce stress and increase inspiration.If you want to pet a cat, just pet it.

Record and record data—hey, Ziyawu should cut his nails?Maybe he should add a little liver and taurine or something to his diet.

Even if there is no reason... on a cold winter day, I really want to hug the cat and listen to it purr.

The owner of the studio next door went out early and returned late all day long. Ziyawu, who was afraid of the cold, looked through the autumn water at first, but finally coveted the temperature in Joey's arms, and reluctantly put on an appearance of an uncle who was being served, and let her rub her.

But after being shaved, having his nails cut and taking a bath, Ziyawu finally started to grin his teeth, and was soon seen by Antonio.

The next day, he came to her laboratory with a few experimental books: "Why are you so obsessed with tungsten wires? Carbon wires are fine."

He spread the booklet on her desk, then calmly snatched the cat away from her arms—Zi Yawu kicked his legs vigorously, nestled into his arms very cooperatively, and narrowed his eyes in satisfaction Start snoring.

Joey pouted: Smelly cat.smelly man.

There was no abnormality on Antonio's face, as if he really just took the cat away so that Joey could concentrate on reading: "This is the experimental record of Henry Goebbels. The carbonized bamboo filaments are placed in a vacuum glass bottle, which can be energized and glow. Last for four hundred hours."

Joey was leaning on the table with his elbows, tilting his head to look at him in surprise: "Aren't you remodeling my house, do you still have time to study this?"

"Architecture is a comprehensive art." Antonio shrugged, and the black cat in his arms was also taken upside down. "It requires a lot of extensive reading to support it. Just read it by the way."

Fine.It also sounds reasonable.

"Carbon filaments will also react with oxygen at high temperatures. Moreover, carbon filaments are too fragile, difficult to transport and store, so it is not convenient to make filaments."

Besides, how can she tell him that the practice of later generations has proved that the best material for filament is tungsten filament?

Since the two experienced the shocking scene together on the tramway in Montjuic, and Joy had been ill for several days, Antonio didn't say anything, and went back silently to continue directing the renovation project of her house.

——Joy also tacitly did not reveal the flag he had set up before.Now that you've got a cheap price, don't act like a good boy.

A certain architect seems to have suddenly changed his mind and started to speed up the work day and night, which in turn turned down most of the prom invitations as a reason.

Like this time.

As soon as Joey put the wine glass away, he stood up and walked into the room, thinking as he walked—according to the current progress, the house will probably be completed by next spring, right?

Walking through the corridor on the side of the hall, the wooden door slowly closed behind him.Joey's eyes suddenly went dark, and the chatter and music of the guests in the hall also subsided.

She let her eyes adjust for a moment before moving on.

Several kerosene lamps gave off a warm and soft halo, and her shadow was cast on the draped golden tapestry. Both the firelight and the figure swayed slightly in the breeze brought by the door opening.The fireplaces in each room of the Earl's House were burning brightly, and the house was as warm as spring.

She suddenly saw a thin figure by the stairs.

A little blond girl in a dark brown velvet skirt leaned quietly against the closet.She was holding a book and was reading it with her head down under the dim light.

The little girl read very intently, and waited until Joey came to her side before she suddenly realized that someone was approaching, and quickly raised her head: "Miss—do you need anything?"

Joey waved his hand quickly: "No, I'm sorry to disturb your reading. Why don't you read in a brighter place? Such lighting is not good for your eyes."

The little girl's tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and she smiled slightly: "I'm just a maid. Mr. Earl kindly spared me from serving at the ball, and I'll just read a book here."

Maid?Joey looked at her in surprise, she was only thirteen or fourteen years old, right?

... Well, child labor was not banned in the nineteenth century.When material wealth is not abundant and education is not widely available, children are also an indispensable labor force.

It's not easy for her to say anything about other people's affairs.But this reminded Joey distressedly that he must complete the invention of the electric light as soon as possible.

As hypocritical as it may sound, such a studious kid deserves better lighting.They will definitely be promising in the future.

Joey was about to leave when he was suddenly stopped by the little girl: "Miss Fernandez...you are Miss Fernandez, right?"

Joey turned around: "It's me. What's wrong?"

The little girl hesitated for a moment, as if she had made up her mind, and then raised her eyes after thinking about it: "Actually, maybe there is no need for a vacuum."

"No vacuum?" Joey was taken aback.

She realized right away—it was talking about light bulbs.

A ray of light suddenly appeared in his mind.Joey couldn't help repeating: "If you don't need a vacuum..."

"The tungsten wire will oxidize quickly at high temperature, right? Just remove the oxygen." The little girl said quickly, "For example, burn it? Lavoisier's "Basic Chemistry" says that oxygen only accounts for a small part of the air. "

"……I see!"

Joey was about to jump up.

She finally remembered what the problem was!

What later generations improved was not the method of making glass at all.Light bulbs don't need a vacuum at all, just fill them with nitrogen or an inert gas!

Ah, her damned rusty head.Sure enough, time-traveling immediately after the college entrance examination is the trump card?

However, after decades of research by so many scientists, it was actually a little girl who jumped out of this blind spot of thinking first.It's incredible.

Joey couldn't help but looked at the little girl again.She has light blonde hair and blue eyes that are so light that they are almost transparent. She doesn't look like a southern European.

She couldn't help but ask, "What's your name?"

The little girl replied calmly, "My name is Mary, Miss."

"Mary Sklodowska."

"Oh, little Mary." Ten minutes later, Count Guell smiled at Joey, "We brought it back from Warsaw."

"Anna encountered some accidents in Warsaw at that time, and it was Little Mary's mother who just passed by and rescued her. Renee and I were very grateful to that lady and wanted to give their family a fortune. Unexpectedly, this little girl Ask me if I can bring her to Barcelona - she wants to go to school. After all, since three years ago, our high school and university here are open to girls, and Warsaw, you know, because the country is dying For 100 years, Polish is not even taught, and girls are not accepted in schools.”

"I originally thought that it would be risky to bring a lonely little girl to a foreign country, not to mention the trouble. But I suddenly discovered that she was reading Newton's "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy"!"

Guell recalled the surprise at the time and laughed: "I remembered at the time that you told us the importance of technological development and talents many times. Little Mary and her parents told me repeatedly that it was like bringing back a Little maid, Mary will find a way to pay for the tuition herself—I don’t really care about that, as long as it’s not too much trouble.”

"Why did you suddenly ask her?" Guell asked Joey.

Joey smiled: "Mr. Earl, I have something to discuss with you."

“I want little Mary to come to my lab—don’t worry, I’m keeping her safe. I’ll send her to high school, and later on to college if she wants to.”

Guell thought for a while, "I'm fine. As long as she wants to."

"Your words are enough." Joey smiled and clinked glasses with him.

The sound of clinking glasses is becoming more and more frequent, which often indicates a lively and busy festival. That was the case in the winter of 1873—people were busily spending the week of St. Lucia's frantic shopping, and more and more people were decorating their homes with the Christmas trees that had just become popular in recent years.After a Christmas filled with anticipation, the New Year will soon be ushered in.

Of course, the citizens of Barcelona who love to join in the fun still never get tired of asking: "How is the invention of the electric light?"

The reporters questioned the professors at the City Hall and the Department of Physics and Chemistry of the University of Barcelona many times—mainly because they had difficulty tracking down Miss Fernández.

The answer each time was: "It's going very well. Soon, soon."

In this way, "quickly" will soon turn over the year.

Finally, on New Year's Day in 1874, reporters from major newspapers were invited by the city hall, and the hall with the huge mural of Prometheus was overcrowded early on.

"What are you going to announce today?"

"I don't know. I just know it's big news, so hurry up and grab a seat."

"It's seven o'clock sharp. Why hasn't it started yet?"

19:02 now.

The reporters waited impatiently, and there was a lot of chattering in the hall, like flies buzzing.

At this moment, all the kerosene lamps in the hall suddenly went out.

In the darkness, everyone panicked and exclaimed: "What's going on?!"

Their exclamations stopped abruptly—the next moment, the hall was suddenly lit up with snow, which almost made people shed tears.

"My God," murmured a reporter, "I swear, this is the first time in thousands of years that humans have seen such a light at night."

Thousands of electric lights are scattered around the hall of the city hall, illuminating the place brightly, as if the sun will gain eternal life here.

"Friends from the press, friends from the citizens of Barcelona," Alva, the mayor with a shiny forehead, appeared in the sea of ​​lights with a smile, "Good evening everyone."

"I am pleased to make two announcements."

"The first one—as you can see, the electric light has been invented. You are sitting surrounded by the world's first electric light right now. We are the first people in the world to witness it!"

"Second," Alva's smile widened a bit, "I announce that Barcelona will bid to host the 1879 World Expo."

"The person in charge of this bid is still Mr. Philip, the CEO of the Economic Office of the City Council."

"At the same time, in response to calls from all walks of life, we will hire special advisors—"

"Ms. Joy Valena de Fernandez."

The author has something to say: Joey: As long as I have an Internet...

The house is about to be built, and the progress bar for fighting monsters at the World Expo is about to start.

Notes for this chapter:

The rapid oxidation of the filament at high temperature is the reason that scholars who tried to invent the light bulb have long understood, but for decades, people have been diligently trying to turn the inside of the bulb into a real vacuum-so the technology mainly uses Finding the right filament, finding the glass shade of the right strength and thickness, and achieving the vacuum.It was not until a long time later that people jumped out of this misunderstanding and realized that it is enough to remove the oxygen, the culprit of filament oxidation.Carbon dioxide, nitrogen, inert gases, etc. are all available as filling gas options.