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Ten Things You Maybe Didn't Know About the Degree Newton

1. It’s a temperature scale named after *that* Newton

Yes, that Newton — Sir Isaac Newton, the gravity guy. He proposed his own temperature scale way back in the early 1700s. The degree Newton (°N) was his attempt at a rational system for measuring heat.

2. Water freezes at 0 °N and boils at 33 °N

In Newton's scale, he set 0 °N as the freezing point of water and 33 °N as the boiling point. It's a neat, simple setup that makes for easy division — just not quite as widely adopted as Celsius or Fahrenheit.

3. It predates Celsius

Newton’s scale came before Celsius (aka Centigrade). While Celsius eventually took over much of the world, Newton’s scale was an early step in trying to bring order to temperature measurements.

4. It’s not used today — but it’s historically cool

You won’t find any weather forecasts in degree Newton, but it remains a quirky part of the history of science — a relic from a time when different minds were racing to define temperature.

5. It was based on a linseed oil thermometer

Newton used linseed oil in his thermometers, which expanded more uniformly than other liquids of the time. It gave his measurements more consistency, at least by 18th-century standards.

6. Each degree Newton equals about 3.03°C

To convert from °N to Celsius, just multiply by 100 and divide by 33. That makes each Newton degree quite a bit larger than a degree Celsius.

7. It's one of many abandoned temperature scales

Back in the day, everyone had their own idea of a "perfect" temperature system. Newton’s was just one of several — including Delisle, Réaumur, and Rømer — that didn’t quite stick around.

8. It wasn’t meant for everyday weather

Newton's scale was developed mainly for scientific work and experiments, not checking the weather or baking cookies. It was about lab precision, not lifestyle convenience.

9. It helped lay groundwork for modern thermodynamics

Even though the scale didn’t survive, Newton’s work contributed to the evolving understanding of heat, temperature, and energy transfer — ideas that would later shape thermodynamics.

10. It's a great trivia nugget

Next time you want to impress someone with your historical science knowledge, ask them what temperature water boils at in degree Newton. (Spoiler: It’s 33 °N!)