| A Scottish chemist. He was professor of chemistry at University College, Bristol (1880-87), and at University College, London (1887-1912). In his early experiments he showed that the alkaloids are related to pyridine, which he synthesized (1876) from acetylene and prussic acid. He then turned to inorganic and physical chemistry. Investigating the
inert gases
of the atmosphere, he discovered
helium
; with Rayleigh he discovered
argon
, and with M. W. Travers,
krypton
,
neon
, and
xenon
. He also carried on research on
radium
emanation. In 1902 he was knighted, for his work on gases he received the 1904 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. His writings include System of Inorganic Chemistry (1891) and Essays Biographical and Chemical (1908). |