Bunsen Burner Day celebrates the birth of Robert Wilhelm Eberhard von Bunsen, the inventor of the Bunsen Burner. It falls on March 31 each year and is recognized by those interested in science. The Bunsen Burner is a simple device used in labs and classrooms worldwide. The origins of the holiday are unclear, but it is generally agreed to have started after von Bunsen’s death in 1899.
Bunsen Burner Day is a holiday commemorating the birth date of the inventor of the Bunsen Burner. While not enjoying the status of a major holiday in any country or group of countries, Bunsen Burner Day has been observed for a number of years. The holiday falls on the same calendar date every year and is often recognized by people with a keen interest in chemistry and science in general.
Celebrated on March 31 each year, Bunsen Burner Day is the celebration of German chemist Robert Wilhelm Eberhard von Bunsen. Born in 1811, van Bunsen is the generally recognized inventor of Bunsen Burners. While there are some developmental historians of chemistry who argue that von Bunsen was not the creator, but rather a refiner of the device, there is general agreement that the devices used in chemistry labs and classrooms around the world today are the work of von Bunsen.
The Bunsen Burner itself is a very simple device, consisting of a long hollow tube. A combination of gas and air helps form the flame that feeds the burner, making it very easy to control the amount of flame and heat by adjusting the mixture of the two compounds. Many people get their first sight of a Bunsen burner while in middle or high school, as part of science assignments and experiments. Large companies developing a wide range of chemical-based products routinely use the device. Similarly, educational and research institutions also commonly use the Bunsen Burner in laboratories around the world.
There is some difference of opinion as to when and where the actual observance of Bunsen Burner Day began. One theory is that the holiday originates in von Bunsen’s hometown of Germany and was inaugurated in the early 20th century. A different theory places the start of Bunsen Burner Day in the mid-20th century, with a combination of British and US chemists joining efforts to honor von Bunsen’s work. In general, celebrants agree that the holiday came into being sometime after von Bunsen’s death in 2020.
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