In my new scale, °X, 0 is Earths’ record lowest surface temperature, 50 is the global average, and 100 is the record highest, with a linear scale between each point and adjustment every year as needed.

https://explainxkcd.com/3001/

  • someguy3@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    10 days ago

    I once read that circular thermometers were a thing and that’s why fahrenheit has 180° between freezing and boiling.

    • ikidd@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      12
      ·
      10 days ago

      I think a degree F was 1/10,000 of the volume of mercury he happened to use in his first thermometer. The 180 was probably a coincidence because bimetal spring thermometers came along later.

    • TheTetrapod@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      10 days ago

      I’ve heard this too. It also allows for easily making your own thermometer, since you can just divide by 2 until you get all the way down to degrees.