March 20

Born in Heilbronn in 1814, Mayer trained as a physician before turning to physics. In 1842, he published his groundbreaking work on the mechanical equivalent of heat, establishing that energy could neither be created nor destroyed. His insights laid the groundwork for the first law of thermodynamics and influenced contemporaries like James Joule and Rudolf Clausius. Despite initial skepticism, Mayer’s theories eventually earned recognition across Europe. He struggled financially and health-wise later in life but left an indelible mark on physical science before his death in 1878.

Franz Ritter von Hauer (1822-1899) served as director of the Imperial Geological Survey of Austria, where he conducted groundbreaking studies of Alpine rock formations. His publications, including detailed geological maps and monographs, advanced the understanding of the region's structure and mineralogy. Von Hauer championed systematic fieldwork and contributed to the development of European stratigraphy. He received numerous honors for his scholarly work and fostered collaborations with prominent geologists of his time. His meticulous research laid foundations for modern geological surveying in Central Europe.

Friedrich Amelung (1842-1909) was a noted Estonian historian who specialized in the cultural and economic history of the Baltic region. Balancing his scholarly pursuits with business ventures, he managed family estates and supported local industries. Amelung published articles and monographs that shed light on medieval trade routes and social structures in Northern Europe. He was instrumental in founding historical societies and promoting scholarship in his homeland. His legacy endures through his contributions to both historical research and the economic development of Estonia.

Alfred Ploetz (1860-1940) was a German doctor and biologist who introduced the concept of 'eugenics' in the late 19th century. He founded the German Society for Racial Hygiene, promoting the study of human heredity and population health. His writings argued for selective breeding practices to improve human stocks, influencing contemporaneous social policies. Ploetz's ideas were later adopted by various political movements, notably the Nazis, leaving a controversial legacy. Despite the later misuse of his theories, his early work sparked enduring debates on genetics, public health, and ethics.

Amadeus William Grabau (1870-1946) was an American geologist and paleontologist widely regarded as the father of Chinese geology. After earning his doctorate at Columbia University, he moved to China in 1912 to teach at Peking University. Grabau introduced modern stratigraphic and paleontological methods, organizing geological surveys and publishing seminal works on Chinese fossil records. Fluent in Chinese, he trained a generation of local geologists and helped found the Geological Survey of China. Despite political turmoil, including the Sino-Japanese War, he continued his research and teaching in Hangzhou until his death. His contributions laid the foundation for geological studies in East Asia and advanced the global understanding of Earth's history.

Ivan Matveyevich Vinogradov (1891-1983) was one of the leading mathematicians of the Soviet era. He is best known for developing Vinogradov's method for estimating trigonometric sums, a cornerstone in analytic number theory. His work led to major progress on the ternary Goldbach problem, proving that every sufficiently large odd integer is the sum of three primes. Vinogradov served as President of the Moscow Mathematical Society and mentored generations of Soviet mathematicians. He held professorships at Moscow State University and was elected to the Soviet Academy of Sciences. His deep insights and techniques continue to influence research in number theory today.

Polykarp Kusch (1911-1993) was a physicist renowned for his pioneering work in atomic physics, particularly the measurement of the electron's magnetic moment. Born in Germany and later teaching in the United States, he served as a professor at Columbia University and UCLA. In 1955, Kusch shared the Nobel Prize in Physics for his precise determination of the electron's anomalous magnetic dipole moment, a result that confirmed key predictions of quantum electrodynamics. His experiments set new standards for measurement accuracy in physics. Kusch influenced generations of physicists through his teaching and research leadership. His findings remain fundamental to our understanding of particle physics and the behavior of elementary particles.

Ai was born Florence Anthony in 1947 in Albany, New York, and later adopted her pen name for her poetry. She earned her BFA and MFA before becoming a university professor and visiting lecturer. Ai's work is celebrated for its intense, confessional style and exploration of identity and race. She published numerous collections, including 'Vice', 'Killing Floor', and 'Fever 103°'. Her poems won prestigious awards such as the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Ai influenced a generation of poets with her raw emotional honesty and innovative voice.