Tag: Max rubner

A sample of food is burned in an insulated, oxygen-filled chamber to determine its gross energy content. This simple yet profound technique was a crucial step in how scientists figure out calories, a journey that revolutionized our understanding of food and energy.

The modern concept of a calorie has its roots in 18th-century chemistry and physics, long before it became a household term for dieting. The story of how were calories discovered involves key scientific developments in the measurement of heat, the study of combustion, and the understanding of energy conversion in both chemical reactions and biological organisms.