Origins & Early Life

Robert Wilhelm Eberhard Bunsen (German: [ˈʁoːbɛʁt ˈbʊnzn̩]; 30 March 1811 – 16 August 1899) was a German chemist. He investigated emission spectra of heated elements, and discovered caesium in 1860 and rubidium in 1861 with the physicist Gustav Kirchhoff. The Bunsen–Kirchhoff Award for spectroscopy is named after Bunsen and Kirchhoff. Bunsen also developed several gas-analytical methods, was a pioneer in photochemistry, and did early work in the field of organic arsenic chemistry.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

With his laboratory assistant Peter Desaga, he developed the Bunsen burner, an improvement on the laboratory burners then in use. Bunsen was born in Göttingen, Germany, on March 30, 1811, in what is now the state of Lower Saxony in Germany. Bunsen was the youngest of four sons of the University of Göttingen's chief librarian and professor of modern philology, Christian Bunsen (1770–1837). After attending school in Holzminden, Bunsen matriculated at Göttingen in 1828 and studied chemistry with Friedrich Stromeyer, mineralogy with Johann Friedrich Ludwig Hausmann, and mathematics with Carl Friedrich Gauss. After obtaining a PhD in 1831, Bunsen spent 1832 and 1833 traveling in...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Franz Liszt — Contemporary (Born in 1811) (1811): A towering figure of Romanticism, Liszt revolutionized piano performance and composition.
• Harriet Beecher Stowe — Contemporary (Born in 1811) (1811): Influential American abolitionist author, best known for Uncle Tom's Cabin.
• Horace Greeley — Contemporary (Born in 1811) (1811): American publisher and political figure, best known for founding the New-York Tribune.
• Al Capone — Contemporary (Born in 1899) (1899): Notorious American gangster and businessman during the Prohibition era.
• Alfred Hitchcock — Contemporary (Born in 1899) (1899): Master of Suspense, influential English filmmaker known for psychological thrillers.
• Bruce Catton — Contemporary (Born in 1899) (1899): American historian and journalist renowned for his popular accounts of the Civil War.
• Bill Withers — Shared historical date (03-30 · Died) (2020): Iconic American soul and R&B singer-songwriter known for heartfelt anthems.
• Francisco Goya — Shared historical date (03-30 · Born) (1746): Pioneering Spanish master bridging the Old and Modern eras of art.
• Alfredo Stroessner — Shared historical date (08-16 · Died) (2006): Paraguayan military dictator who ruled from 1954 to 1989, known for repression.
• Angela Bassett — Shared historical date (08-16 · Born) (1958): Esteemed American actress celebrated for powerful roles in film and television.
• 1811 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1811
• March 30 (03-30) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on March 30
• 1899 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1899
• August 16 (08-16) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on August 16