Updates to Two Previous Posts
In November I made a post registering some objections to an article on the A16Z website claiming that some of my books stopped in mid-sentence. I have only just become aware that, a day later, Matt Bornstein, the author of that piece, posted a very reasonable response here on Substack. Matt’s Substack also includes some pieces about the overall direction of AI which readers might find interesting.
Back in January I put up a post as part of my KdK (Kinetik der Kontinua) series describing an amazing series of whip experiments performed in the 1920s by one Z. Carrière. At the time I had been unable to learn much more about Carrière himself. Not long afterwards this gap was filled by Scott Fox of StartupCouncil.org who did some investigating with the help of Gemini and emailed me the following. TL;DR when you know about his background and what he did during the war, his later experiments with whips breaking the sound barrier fall into place.
According to historical records and biographies from the Institut Catholique de Toulouse (ICT), the military service of Abbé Zéphirin Carrière during World War I was characterized by his specialized scientific background.
Mobilization and Unit
Initial Service: Like all French priests of his generation following the 1889 and 1905 laws, Carrière was subject to military duty. He was mobilized at the start of the war in 1914.
The “Repérage au Son” (Sound Ranging): Because of his advanced doctorate in physics (1905) and expertise in acoustics, he did not serve as a standard infantryman. Instead, he was assigned to the Technical Services of the Artillery.
Acoustic Detection: He worked specifically in Sound Ranging (known in French as S.R.S. or Service de Repérage par le Son). This unit used specialized microphones and mathematical calculations to triangulate the positions of enemy batteries based on the sound of their firing.
Research for the Ministry of War
During the war, his work bridged the gap between academia and military necessity:
Ballistics and Waves: He conducted research on the shockwaves produced by projectiles. This later informed his famous post-war experiments on the “clapping of the whip,” where he applied the same physical principles to analyze subsonic and supersonic speeds.
Scientific Recognition: His technical contributions were highly valued; unlike many mobilized priests who served as stretcher-bearers, Carrière’s rank and role were defined by his status as a “Soldier-Physician/Physicist.”
Post-War Impact
Upon his discharge and return to the ICT in 1919, his military research directly influenced his curriculum. He spent the 1920s expanding on the acoustic theories he had tested in the field, specifically focusing on the visualization of sound waves and the synchronization of air vibrations.
His service is often cited by the Institut as a prime example of the “Union Sacrée,” where the clergy and the scientific community collaborated for the national defense of France.