May 13

Daniel Solander was born in Sweden in 1736 and studied under Carl Linnaeus at Uppsala University. He moved to England and became the first Cambridge-educated botanist employed at the British Museum. In 1768, he joined James Cook's first voyage on HMS Endeavour and collected thousands of plant and algae specimens. His meticulous field notes and specimens laid the foundation for the classification of many Australian and Pacific plant species. Solander helped introduce Linnaean taxonomy to the English-speaking world and published extensively on plant diversity. His collections remain a cornerstone of botanical research today.

Georges Cuvier was born in Montbéliard, France, in 1769 and revolutionized natural history by comparing anatomical structures of living and fossil species. He established extinction as a scientific fact and founded the field of vertebrate paleontology. As a professor at the Collège de France, Cuvier published seminal works including 'Le Règne Animal'. His research introduced empirical rigor to the study of fossils and laid the groundwork for modern taxonomy. Cuvier also transformed the French National Museum of Natural History through his curatorial innovations. He died in Paris in 1832, leaving a monumental legacy in earth sciences.

Nikolai Brashman was born in Prague in 1796 and studied at Charles University. He moved to Russia in 1820 and became a professor at the Alexander Military Academy and St. Petersburg University. Brashman authored influential textbooks in algebra, geometry, and mechanics, setting educational standards for Russian mathematicians. He introduced modern methods of analytical geometry and promoted research in mechanical theory. As a founding member of the St. Petersburg Mathematical Society, he fostered a scholarly community of students and researchers. Brashman died in 1866, leaving a significant legacy in mathematical education and research.

Joseph Henry was born in Albany, New York, in 1797 and conducted pioneering experiments on electromagnetism. He discovered self-induction independently of Michael Faraday and developed powerful electromagnets that laid the groundwork for the telegraph and electric motors. In 1846, Henry became the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, shaping its mission to increase and diffuse knowledge. He conducted meteorological observations and supported scientific research across the United States. Henry’s leadership established the Smithsonian as a premier institution for science and education. He died in 1878, remembered as one of America’s foremost 19th-century scientists.

Friedrich Gustav Jakob Henle was born in Fürth, Bavaria, in 1809 and studied medicine at the University of Bonn. He is considered one of the founders of modern histology, introducing microscopic techniques to the study of tissues. Henle identified the loop of Henle, a key structure in kidney physiology, and described numerous anatomical features now bearing his name. His seminal works on epithelial tissues and glands laid the groundwork for cellular pathology. Henle held professorships at several German universities, influencing generations of medical students. He emphasized the importance of rigorous anatomical observation in medical education and research. Henle died in 1885, leaving a legacy as a pioneer in pathology and anatomy.

Born in 1878, Arthur Scherbius studied electrical engineering and founded a company specializing in electric motors and communication devices. In 1918, he developed the Enigma machine, a portable cipher device that used rotating wheels to encode messages. His invention gained popularity for its perceived security and was later adopted by military forces. Scherbius held numerous patents related to encryption and telecommunication. Though he died in 1929, his work profoundly influenced the field of cryptography. The Enigma's eventual decryption during World War II marked a turning point in signals intelligence.

Born in 1861, Fridtjof Nansen was a pioneering Arctic explorer who led the first crossing of the Greenland interior in 1888. He commanded the ship Fram on an ambitious polar drift expedition that provided valuable scientific and geographical data. A trained zoologist, Nansen contributed to oceanography and invented devices such as the Nansen bottle for collecting deep-sea samples. After World War I, he served as League of Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, designing the 'Nansen passport' for stateless persons. His efforts earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922. Nansen's diverse legacy spans exploration, science, and humanitarian advocacy.

Born in 1861 in Fleurier, Switzerland, Guillaume became a professor of physics in Geneva. His meticulous research on thermal expansion led to the discovery of Invar and Elinvar alloys, which exhibited minimal dimensional changes with temperature fluctuations. These materials revolutionized precision instruments such as clocks and scientific equipment. In 1920, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics for these groundbreaking findings. Guillaume's work established new standards for measurement accuracy and had lasting industrial applications. He continued his academic career focusing on metrology and served as director of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.

Michael Fekete (1886–1957) was a distinguished mathematician known for his work in complex analysis. He introduced Fekete polynomials and Fekete's lemma, tools fundamental to approximation theory and numerical analysis. Born in Hungary, he studied under mathematicians Lipót Fejér and Ernst Zermelo before emigrating to Mandatory Palestine. At the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, he helped establish the mathematics department and mentored future scholars. Fekete published influential papers on potential theory and number theory, leaving a lasting impact on the field. His legacy lives on through the Fekete constant and the ongoing relevance of his mathematical methods.

Henry Trendley Dean (1893–1962) was a leading figure in dental public health research. As Chief of Dental Caries Research at the U.S. Public Health Service, he conducted seminal studies on fluoride's effects. His work defined optimal fluoride concentrations in drinking water to prevent tooth decay. Dean's protocols laid the groundwork for water fluoridation programs adopted worldwide. He authored influential publications and chaired expert committees on dental epidemiology. His research has had a lasting impact on preventive dentistry and public health policy.

Born in 1909, Marguerite Perey was a pioneering French physicist and student of Marie Curie. In 1939, she discovered francium, the last naturally occurring alkali metal. Her groundbreaking work extended our understanding of radioactive elements. In 1962, she became the first female member of the French Académie des sciences. Perey’s achievements opened doors for women in the sciences and advanced nuclear research. She passed away in 1975, remembered as a trailblazer in physics.

Hao Wang was a pioneering Chinese-American logician, philosopher, and mathematician. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago studying under L.E. Loomis. Wang made foundational contributions to the Entscheidungsproblem and automated reasoning. He translated and analyzed works by Wittgenstein and Quine, bridging Eastern and Western philosophy. As a professor at Harvard and New York University, he trained prominent logicians and philosophers. His research influenced the development of computer science, artificial intelligence, and mathematical logic.