How far away is the Earth from the Sun? In the 18th century, astronomers believed that as long as the transit of Venus at the same time was observed from different continents on Earth, the exact distance from the sun to the earth could be calculated using a simple trigonometric function.
Transit of Venus Schematic
To this end, the British Empire entrusted the Royal Society with funding and spared no effort to prepare the expedition. The expedition consisted of 85 British Navy sailors and soldiers, armed with marine cannons, rifles, gunpowder and other weapons. The captain of this expedition was the famous James. Captain Cook, a seasoned sailor, was a well-known geographer and ethnographer.
Captain Cook
The expedition left English ports in 1768, observed the transit of Venus in 1769, and continued its expedition to the pacific islands, passing through Australia and New Zealand, before returning to England in 1771. The significance of this expedition was that it brought back amazing astronomical, geographical, botanical and anthropological materials, which became an important basis for the development of many disciplines in later generations.
In the field of medicine, Captain Cook discovered the nemesis of the Black Death, vitamin C, saving the lives of many crew members! For the next 10 years, all the world's navies adopted the sea diet advocated by Captain Cook.
Expanded the territory of the "Empire of the Sun Never Sets". During the expedition, Cook "discovered" many of the islands, all of which claimed to be British after conquest, the most important of which were Australia and New Zealand. Set foot on new lands for millions of Europeans. At the same time, it has also caused the extinction of many indigenous cultures. The number of Indigenous people in Australia and New Zealand fell sharply by 90%.
If the cycle of giving back between science, the British Empire and capital over the past 500 years has been the aircraft carrier that has driven the evolution of history, then Captain Cook has been the engine of this aircraft carrier!