Leo Baranek, RIP
October 18, 2016 5:49 AM   Subscribe

"a sought-after acoustics genius" One third of Bolt, Beranek and Newman, which helped build ARPANET, Beranek was an important acoustical engineer. Died at 102.
posted by doctornemo (17 comments total) 10 users marked this as a favorite
 
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posted by Cash4Lead at 5:52 AM on October 18, 2016


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posted by tilde at 6:09 AM on October 18, 2016


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posted by farlukar at 6:32 AM on October 18, 2016 [7 favorites]


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posted by LobsterMitten at 6:39 AM on October 18, 2016


During his senior year, a chance encounter outside the Mount Vernon town library changed his life. One afternoon, Dr. Beranek noticed a Cadillac with a flat tire stopped on the street. A middle-aged man emerged from the car, and Dr. Beranek offered to help him change the tire.
He chatted with the grateful driver, Glenn Browning, a businessman from Massachusetts, who suggested he apply to Harvard for graduate studies in engineering. Mr. Browning had once taught at Harvard and offered himself as a reference.

Dr. Beranek applied and was offered a full scholarship.


So he was something of a real life Will Hunting. 102 is a good age, few of us will do so well.
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posted by Bee'sWing at 7:00 AM on October 18, 2016 [2 favorites]


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posted by humanfont at 7:18 AM on October 18, 2016


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The Internet is a direct result of the one project where Dr. Beranek messed up the acoustics. And far a career in acoustics, one mess-up is not bad at all.
posted by ocschwar at 7:36 AM on October 18, 2016 [1 favorite]


Read Where Wizards Stay Up Late if you want an excellent and approachable history of the earliest days of BBN and Arpanet.

Also: .
posted by absalom at 9:51 AM on October 18, 2016 [1 favorite]


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posted by Mental Wimp at 10:05 AM on October 18, 2016 [1 favorite]


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posted by Thorzdad at 11:10 AM on October 18, 2016


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posted by Fongotskilernie at 3:58 PM on October 18, 2016


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posted by Willow Jane at 4:20 PM on October 18, 2016


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posted by monotreme at 9:53 PM on October 18, 2016


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posted by Mister Bijou at 10:45 PM on October 18, 2016


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posted by Standard Orange at 1:33 AM on October 19, 2016


This is an obituary and all but if I ever made it to 102 I would want my obit to be a happy fun september post.

I found this on his website:

Subjective Rank Orderings and Acoustical Measurements for Fifty-eight Concert Halls

Royal Albert Hall is 58 out of 58. Vienna (won't even try to spell it) is number one.
posted by bukvich at 8:06 AM on October 19, 2016


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