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Today in History: Christin Publishes Mercury Thermometer with Centigrade Scale

5/19/2026

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Summary

Story summary

On 19 May 1743, French physicist Jean-Pierre Christin released a mercury-in-glass thermometer calibrated on a centigrade scale, fixing 0 °C at water’s melting point and 100 °C at its boiling point. His reversal of Anders Celsius’s original layout standardized the temperature scale still used worldwide.

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Story summary

On 19 May 1743, French physicist Jean-Pierre Christin released a mercury-in-glass thermometer calibrated on a centigrade scale, fixing 0 °C at water’s melting point and 100 °C at its boiling point. His reversal of Anders Celsius’s original layout standardized the temperature scale still used worldwide.