Here Is The Reason Behind Observing International Bath Day

Have you ever wondered the reason behind Observing International Bath Day, the answer is not that simple as it appears by the name. It was on June 14 that the Greek mathematician, scientist, and scholar Archimedes discovered that an object’s volume could be accurately measured by being submerged in water. This all happened in his mind while he was taking a bath.

Eager to share his excitement over this discovery, Archimedes jumped out of the bathtub and yelled “Eureka, eureka!” as he ran through the streets of Syracuse.

Since the exact date of Archimedes’ birth was unknown, the day chosen to commemorate is the day that is believed he kept out of the bathtub….June 14th.

How was this date determined?

The ancient Greek legend says that it was exactly one week before the beginning of summer…the calendar in those days was astronomical, and seasons were determined due to the 23.5-degree tilt of the Earth’s rotational axis in relation to its orbit around the sun. Summer began (then and today) on June 21st, so a week before is June 14th, and this was the date set.

As not all of us are geniuses, International Bath Day is also an ideal day for encouraging learning and discovery in children. Bath toys can be incorporated during bath time to teach children about the basic workings of the universe.

How to observe International Bath Day

Make bath time fun and full of discovery, like Archimedes. Children can learn the basic properties of physics such as empty versus full, floating, sinking, weight, and cause and effect, all while bathing.

Bathing

Today, we are used to comfortable bathrooms with showers, tubs, and pressure-controlled water flow. But, not very long ago, bathing used to be quite an uncomfortable experience. For example, in 19th century England, a bath was simply a large cold metal container placed in front of a fireplace — without any plumbing. And, in other parts of the world, people had to take a dip in a nearby pond or river when they wanted to clean themselves, braving cold weather conditions and other health hazards.

Check the video by Kohler on the evolution of bath tub over the years

Published on: Tuesday, June 13, 2023, 02:08 PM IST