ZANTEDESCHI, FRANCESCO. — Priest and scientist, born at Dolcé (Verona) on 18 August 1797, died at Padua on 29 March 1873.
Ordained a priest at Verona, he taught philosophy and natural sciences at Brescia, Milan, and Venice, before obtaining the chair of physics at the University of Padua, from which he was removed in 1857 because he had been blind for two years. He reacted to this measure by having a bibliography of his writings printed, which he circulated to all the scientific institutes of Europe, and then an extract of the replies he had received (Nascita, studi, posizione sociale e bibliografia delle principali opere di F. Z., Padova 1857 and Lettere di Accademie... dettate a conforto dell'abate F. cav. Z., ivi 1858). He was not, on this account, reinstated in teaching, but continued his scientific activity into advanced old age: even in 1856 he was contributing to the Atti dell'I. R. Istituto Veneto. He took an interest in every branch of physics, promoted steam navigation in the Adriatic, founded the botanical garden of Venice, and achieved a very wide renown, as demonstrated by his admission to the principal Italian and foreign scientific academies. His most original studies concern acoustics, « caloric », and « electricity ».