Week 46

Week 46: Nov. 12 – 18 (Archive)

November 12

  • John Dalton announced the first example of the law of multiple proportions in 1802.
  • Aleksandre P. Borodin, born 1833, researcher on organofluorine compounds and Borodin-Hunsdieker reaction; composer.
  • John W. Strutt (Lord Rayleigh), born 1842; in 1894, codiscovered argon (Ar, 18); Nobel Prize in Physics (1904).
  • EG&G Idaho incorporated as Ederton, Gernhausen & Grier in 1947.

November 13

  • Kristian Birkeland, born 1867, performed first industrial fixation of nitrogen.
  • Edward A. Doisy, born 1893, researcher on sex hormones; in 1929, isolated theelin (estrone); isolated vitamin K (1939); Nobel Prize in Medicine (1943).

November 14

  • Auguste Laurent, born 1807, discovered anthracene (1832); obtained phthalic acid from naphthalene (1836); showed carbolic acid is phenol (1841); constructed a saccharimeter; evolved nucleus theory of organic radicals.
  • Leo Baekeland, born 1863, invented Velox paper and plastic, Bakelite®.

November 15

  • Humphry Davy announced elementary nature of chlorine (Cl, 17) to the Royal Society of Chemistry in 1810.

November 16

  • Joel H. Hildebrand, born 1881, researcher in solubility; introduced helium (He, 2) into deep-sea diving; lived to be 101.

November 17

  • George T. Beilby, born 1850, invented process for retorting shale; synthesized alkaline cyanides; constructed first factory for synthesis.

November 18

  • George Wald, born 1906, researched chemistry of vision; Nobel Prize in Medicine (1967).
  • Louis J.M. Daguerre, born 1787, photographic pioneer and inventor of the daguerrotype.