Henri Becquerel
Pioneering physicist known for the discovery of radioactivity.
Chronology: 1852-12-15 – 1908-08-25
Origins & Early Life
Antoine Henri Becquerel (15 December 1852 – 25 August 1908) was a French experimental physicist who shared the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics with Marie and Pierre Curie for his discovery of radioactivity. == Biography == Antoine Henri Becquerel was born on 15 December 1852 in Paris. His grandfather, Antoine César Becquerel, father, Edmond Becquerel, and later his son, Jean Becquerel, were all notable physicists. In 1872, Becquerel entered École polytechnique, and then École des ponts et chaussées in 1874.
Pivotal Works & Achievements
He became an engineer in the Department of Bridges and Highways in 1877, and was promoted to chief engineer in 1894. In 1878, he became an assistant at the National Museum of Natural History, where he was appointed Professor of Applied Physics in 1892, following both his father and grandfather who held the same position. In 1888, Becquerel received a Doctor of Science from the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Paris. His thesis was on the plane polarisation of light, with the phenomenon of phosphorescence and absorption of light by crystals. He became a professor at École polytechnique in 1895.
Enduring Legacy & Impact
In 1877, Becquerel married Lucie Zoë-Marie Jamin (1854–1878), with whom he had a...
Source: Wikipedia