How to Be Smarter than Isaac Newton
The Disappearing Spoon: a science history podcast with Sam Kean
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The Trial of the PICS
The trial of the PICS is a quality control check that involves weighing coins. A judge in a periwig oversaw it and there were independent jurors, mostly gold and silver smits. In Newton's day, they took one coin for every 15 pounds of gold or 60 pounds of silver. If the massive coins was just right, everyone was happy. They could all go home. The health and confidence of the nation's money supply depended upon it.
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