INTERNATIONAL BATH DAY – JUNE 14
The Greek mathematician and scientist Archimedes discovered that the volume of an object can be accurately measured while submerged in water. According to legend, he discovered this fact while taking a bath on June 14th. And it’s for this reason that we now celebrate International Bath Day. That makes this day a good one to learn more about Archimedes, or if you’re not interested in history or scientific achievement, then you can celebrate it by taking a bath.
The History Of Archimedes Discovery
Even though we were unable to determine who invented this holiday, or even when it was invented, we were able to learn a little bit about Archimedes discovering how the volume of objects can be determined—or at the very least, the legend of how it happened.
According to lore, Archimedes was taking a bath precisely one week before the start of summer. Since the Greeks used an astronomical calendar, the first day of summer is June 21st. One week before that would make the date of his discovery June 14th—and that’s why this holiday is observed on this day.
The legend also says that once he figured out that volume could be determined in this manner, he ran through the streets of Syracuse, Greece yelling “Eureka! Eureka!”
Some Fascinating Facts About Baths
As we researched the origins of this holiday, we came across some fascinating facts about baths and bathing, so we decided to share these facts with everyone who happens to be reading this right now.
Baths Use More Water Than Showers
As a general rule, showers use less water than baths. Showerheads generally have a flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute. This means that a shower that lasts 15 minutes only uses 37.5-gallons of water. On the other hand, depending on the size of the tub, a bath can use up to 70-80 gallons of water at a time.
The Oldest Bathtub Found Was Discovered In Greece
The oldest bathtub ever found was discovered in Knossos, Greece in the Queen’s bathroom. This bathtub dates back over 3,500-years ago. And for those who are interested, this tub was made from fired clay.
Observing International Bath Day
International Bath Day is a holiday that can be observed in several different ways. You can take the time to introduce your children to Archimedes or basic physics, or you can simply take the time on this day to make yourself a bath.
