Editing Benjamin Thompson (section)

===Experiments on heat===
{{See also|Heat transfer#History}}
His experiments on gunnery and explosives led to an interest in heat. He devised a method for measuring the [[specific heat]] of a solid substance but was disappointed when [[Johan Wilcke]] published his parallel discovery first.

Thompson next investigated the [[Thermal insulation|insulating properties of various materials]], including [[fur]], [[wool]] and [[feather]]s. He correctly deduced that the insulating properties of these natural materials arise from the fact that they inhibit the [[convection]] of air. He then inferred — incorrectly — that air and, in fact, all gases, were perfect non-[[heat conduction|conductors]] of heat.<ref>Rumford (1786)   "New experiments upon heat"  ''[[Philosophical Transactions|Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society]]'' ''p.''273</ref><ref>Rumford (1792) [https://www.jstor.org/stable/106776 "Experiments upon heat"] ''Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society'' ''p.''48-80</ref> He further saw this as evidence of the [[argument from design]], contending that [[divine providence]] had arranged for fur on animals in such a way as to guarantee their comfort. <!--This needs a reference, and should probably appear in trivia--> <!--Based on this work he created the [[Baked Alaska]] in 1804{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}}.-->

In 1797, he extended his claim about non-conductivity to liquids.<ref>Rumford (1797) "On the propagation of heat in fluids" ''[[Nicholson's Journal]]'' '''1''' ''pp''298–341</ref> The idea raised considerable objections from the scientific establishment, [[John Dalton]]<ref>Cardwell (1971) ''p.''99</ref> and [[John Leslie (physicist)|John Leslie]]<ref>{{cite book | author=Leslie, J. | title=An Experimental Enquiry into the Nature and Propagation of Heat | publisher=London | year=1804 }}</ref> making particularly forthright attacks. Instrumentation far exceeding anything available in terms of accuracy and precision would have been needed to verify Thompson's claim. Again, he seems to have been influenced by his theological beliefs,<ref>Rumford (1804) "An enquiry concerning the nature of heat and the mode of its communication" ''Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society'' ''p.''77</ref> and historian of science [[D. S. L. Cardwell]] speculated that Thompson wished to grant water a privileged and providential status in the regulation of human life.<ref>Cardwell (1971) ''p.''102</ref>

He is considered the founder of the [[sous-vide]] food preparation method owing to his experiment with a mutton shoulder. He described this method in one of his essays.<ref>Benjamin Count of Rumford, "Essay X: On the construction of kitchen fire-places and kitchen utensils together with remarks and observations relating to the various processes of cookery; and proposals for improving that most useful art", ''Essays, Political, Economical, and Philosophical'', vol. 3 (London, England:  T. Cadell jun. and W. Davies, 1802), [https://books.google.com/books?id=gZg-AQAAIAAJ&pg=PA18 pp. 18–20.]</ref>