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History of Thermometers Timeline

(1592–Present)

This timeline traces the development of thermometers from Galileo’s early thermoscope to accurate liquid, electrical, infrared, and digital instruments. Less

Go to: Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Early development

Boulliau abandons mercury

1659

In 1659, astronomer Ismael Boulliau abandoned the use of mercury in thermometers after determining that it was less responsive to temperature changes than spirits.

Image source: Thermometer

Boulliau abandons mercury

Spirits favored for responsiveness

1659

Boulliau's 1659 conclusion established spirits as a preferred thermometer liquid because they responded more readily to changes in temperature than mercury.

Fahrenheit begins mercury experiments

1713

In 1713, Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit began experimenting with thermometers that used mercury.

Image source: Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit

Fahrenheit begins mercury experiments

Mercury thermometer experimentation advances

1713

Fahrenheit's experiments in 1713 contributed to the development of mercury-based thermometers and helped establish mercury as an important thermometric liquid.

Fahrenheit develops practical mercury instruments

1713 - 1717

Between beginning his experiments in 1713 and commercial production by 1717, Fahrenheit developed practical mercury thermometers suitable for wider use.

Fahrenheit begins commercial production

1717

By 1717, Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit was making mercury thermometers commercially.

Mercury thermometers become commercial products

1717

Fahrenheit's commercial production by 1717 marked the transition of mercury thermometers from experimental instruments to products available for purchase.

Temperature scales

Celsius devises temperature scale

1742

Anders Celsius, a Swedish scientist, devised the Celsius temperature scale.

Image source: Celsius

Celsius devises temperature scale

The origin of the Celsius temperature scale published

1742

Celsius described his temperature scale in his 1742 publication The origin of the Celsius temperature scale.

Celsius scale enters scientific history

1742

The 1742 description of Celsius's scale became a major milestone in the standardization of temperature measurement.

Mercury alternatives

Electronic thermometer producer joins Austrian program

2006

A producer of electronic thermometers participated in Austria's cooperative take-back program for mercury thermometers.

Pharmaceutical distributor joins Austrian program

2006

A pharmaceutical distributor cooperated in Austria's voluntary mercury thermometer collection effort.

Austrian electronic thermometer sales begin tracking

Oct 2007 - Jan 2008

Between October 2007 and January 2008, approximately 465,000 electronic thermometers were sold in connection with the Austrian transition away from mercury devices.

Mercury-in-glass thermometers remain in meteorology

2026

As of 2026, many mercury-in-glass thermometers are still used in meteorology.

Mercury regulation

Waste disposer supports Austrian collection

2006

A private waste disposer was part of the cooperation that carried out Austria's mercury thermometer take-back action.

Austria's environment ministry joins collection

2006

Austria's Federal Ministry of Environment cooperated in the voluntary collection of thermometers containing mercury.

Austrian pharmacists join the take-back effort

2006

The Austrian Chamber of Pharmacists participated closely in the voluntary take-back action for mercury thermometers.

Austria adopts a mercury thermometer take-back action

2006

Austria established a voluntary take-back action for thermometers containing mercury under the Federal Waste Management Plan 2006.

HPA publishes small mercury spill guide

2007

In 2007, the UK Health Protection Agency released a guide explaining how to deal with small spills of mercury.

Austria collects about one million mercury thermometers

Oct 2007 - Jan 2008

About one million mercury thermometers were collected in Austria between October 2007 and January 2008.

Austria collects roughly one tonne of mercury

Oct 2007 - Jan 2008

The approximately one million mercury thermometers collected in Austria during the 2007–2008 action contained about one tonne of mercury in total.

Philippines orders hospital mercury equipment phase-out

2008 - Sep 28, 2010

The Philippines Department of Health's Administrative Order 2008-0221 required mercury equipment in hospitals to be phased out by September 28, 2010.

Philippines includes mercury-in-glass thermometers

2008 - Sep 28, 2010

The Philippine phase-out specifically included mercury-in-glass thermometers used in hospitals.

Argentine health professionals urged to remove mercury

Feb 2009

Argentina called on dentists, medical technicians, and environmental health specialists to begin eliminating mercury after the February 2009 resolution.

Argentina targets mercury blood pressure meters

Feb 2009

Resolution 139/09 required Argentine health centres and hospitals to purchase mercury-free blood pressure meters as part of a broader effort to eliminate mercury.

Argentina orders mercury-free equipment

Feb 2009

In February 2009, Argentina's Health Ministry issued Resolution 139/09 instructing all health centres and hospitals to buy mercury-free thermometers and blood pressure meters.

EU mercury sales restriction takes effect

Apr 3, 2009

European Union directive 2007/51/EC came into force on April 3, 2009, establishing restrictions relevant to the sale of mercury thermometers.

UK public sales of mercury thermometers end

Apr 3, 2009

Following the entry into force of European Union directive 2007/51/EC on April 3, 2009, the UK Health Protection Agency reported that mercury thermometers could no longer be sold to the general public.

Mercury thermometers remain on sale in pharmacies

2020

As of 2020, mercury thermometers were still being sold to the public at pharmacies.

Countries ban mercury thermometers for medical use

2026

As of 2026, many countries had banned mercury thermometers for medical use because mercury is toxic.

Mercury thermometers become rarer outside meteorology

2026

By 2026, mercury-in-glass thermometers were becoming increasingly rare for uses outside meteorology.

Key Facts

  1. Around 1592, Galileo Galilei developed an early air-based thermoscope that showed temperature changes but lacked a standardized scale.
  2. In 1714, Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit created a practical mercury thermometer and introduced the Fahrenheit temperature scale.
  3. Anders Celsius proposed the centigrade scale in 1742, which was later renamed the Celsius scale.
  4. Standardized thermometers transformed scientific experiments, weather observation, manufacturing, and medical diagnosis.
  5. Modern thermometers include digital, infrared, resistance, and thermocouple instruments, enabling rapid and highly precise measurements.

Source

This History of Thermometers timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

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