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Geology, Guinness and Gigantic Explosions…

Posted by Karen Sheeran (Science Administrator) 17 June 2010 at 15:30

Did you know that the iron railings around Trinity College, earthquakes and the Guinness Brewery all have one thing in common - an Irishman named Robert Mallet who, back in the 1800’s, became a world renowned engineer and scientist.

At the moment we are working on an exhibition to celebrate Mallet’s life and work. The exhibition will be on show from August 20 - September 24, 2010 in the RDS Library. Doing the background research it is just amazing to find out the variety of things he successfully turned his hand to. The most difficult part of curating the exhibition is trying to decide what to include and what to leave out!

Mallet had a curious mind and an unlimited imagination, fundamental requirements for all great scientists. One of his most significant accomplishments was explaining how earthquakes work – this was a major scientific breakthrough at the time and still underpins the modern understanding of how earthquakes cause the ground to shake. It’s amazing to think that 100 years before the theory of ‘Plate Tectonics’ was devised, Mallet was already piecing this concept together by imagining the earth as a giant jigsaw puzzle.

Mallet was also involved in practical engineering projects and his legacy can still be seen today. He devised an ingenious way of adding strength to metal without increasing its weight - known as ‘Buckled Plates’ this technique has been used in many famous bridges and buildings including Westminster Bridge in London. The Mallet iron foundry also designed and built the railings around Trinity College, you can still see them today when you are waiting for a bus on Nassau Street in Dublin - if you look close enough, you can even make out the Mallet stamp at the base of the railings!

Mallet also revolutionized the design of explosives and ordnance, devising a huge 36 inch mortar capable of throwing a 1 tonne shell 1½ miles. Following on from this experimentation, Mallet used his knowledge closer to home - he was engaged by the Guinness Brewery to sink a deep water well at St. James’ Gate, Dublin - Mallet exploded a charge at the base of the hole to crack the Carboniferous Limestone and let the water flow!

Robert Mallet was a true polymath and each panel of this exhibition will reflect a different facet of his work; from ‘Buckled Plate’ bridges, earthquakes and seismology, to volcanoes, metal corrosion and giant mortars. So the next time you walk past the railings of Trinity College, read about an earthquake, or even drink a pint of Guinness, take a minute to remember the legacy of one of Ireland’s unsung scientific heroes!