barometer

A meteorological instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure. There are several types. The most classic of all is the mercury or Torricelli barometer, so named in honor of its inventor, Evangelista Torricelli (1608-1647). The most popular is the aneroid type, which is the typical ornamental barometer many people have in their living room. The invention of the barometer, in 1643, marked a turning point in the history of Meteorology, since from that moment on its foundations as a fully-fledged scientific discipline began to be laid.