Biography of Famous Scientist George de Hevesy
George de Hevesy: A Detailed Biography
Early Life and Education:
George Charles de Hevesy was born on August 1, 1885, in Budapest, Hungary, into a wealthy and distinguished family. His father, Louis de Hevesy, was a notable landowner. George grew up in an intellectually stimulating environment, and his early education was marked by an interest in the sciences.
Hevesy pursued his university studies in Budapest, initially focusing on chemical engineering at the Technical University. Later, he moved to Berlin, where he studied chemistry under the guidance of renowned chemists, including Emil Fischer. During this time, he also developed an interest in radiochemistry.
Scientific Career in Germany:
In the early 20th century, George de Hevesy began his scientific career in Germany. He collaborated with the famous chemist Fritz Haber at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry in Berlin. It was during this period that Hevesy made significant contributions to the field of radiochemistry.
In 1913, he formulated the idea of using isotopes as tracers to track the movement of substances in chemical reactions. This groundbreaking concept laid the foundation for his later Nobel Prize-winning work.
World War I and Scandinavian Period:
During World War I, Hevesy served as an officer in the Austro-Hungarian Army. Following the war, he faced political unrest in Hungary and chose to move to Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1920. In Denmark, he collaborated with Niels Bohr and conducted research at the Institute for Theoretical Physics.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1943):
George de Hevesy’s most significant achievement came during World War II. In an effort to safeguard the Nobel Prizes from the Nazis, he dissolved the medals of Max von Laue and James Franck in aqua regia to prevent them from being confiscated. After the war, he successfully precipitated the gold from the solution and returned it to the Nobel Prize Committee.
For this ingenious and courageous act, Hevesy was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1943. The citation specifically recognized his work on the use of isotopes as tracers in the study of chemical processes.
Later Years and Legacy:
After the war, Hevesy continued his research in radiochemistry and nuclear physics. He became a Danish citizen in 1951 and spent the later years of his career at the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen.
Hevesy’s contributions to the understanding of isotopes and their applications in various scientific fields were immense. His work laid the groundwork for the development of nuclear medicine, and the use of isotopes as tracers became a standard technique in chemistry and biology.
George de Hevesy passed away on July 5, 1966, in Freiburg, West Germany. His legacy lives on through his groundbreaking contributions to radiochemistry and his pivotal role in preserving the Nobel Prizes during a tumultuous period in history.