author
Robert Hare
1781–1858
An early American chemist and inventive experimenter, he became known for creating the oxy-hydrogen blowpipe and for pushing laboratory science forward in the United States. He also spent many years teaching chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania.
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About the author
Born in Philadelphia in 1781, Robert Hare grew up around practical industry through his family’s brewery and developed an early interest in chemistry. While still a young man, he gained attention for inventing the oxy-hydrogen blowpipe, a device capable of producing extremely high heat and opening up new possibilities for chemical and metallurgical experiments.
Hare went on to become one of the leading American chemists of his day. He served as a professor of chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania for many years, and he was also known for developing the galvanic deflagrator, an important early electrical apparatus used in scientific demonstrations and research.
Later in life, Hare wrote widely on scientific subjects and, somewhat unexpectedly, became involved in investigating spiritualist claims. Even with that unusual late interest, his lasting reputation rests on his work as an inventive teacher, experimenter, and builder of scientific instruments during the early years of American chemistry.