The Famous Norwegian Scientist Who Unlocked The Secrets of the Aurora Borealis
BiographyKristian Olaf Birkeland was born in current-day Oslo, Norway, in the year 1867. The great scientist went to no lengths throughout his life to prove his theories about the Northern Lights. Birkeland recreated the aurora borealis in his laboratory and climbed the Haldde Mountain in Norway just to observe the colorful wonders. To fund his trip, he became a vigorous inventor; creating nearly anything he could think of. Birkeland also fashioned an electromagnetic cannon that was supposed to have been used in a war. He was found dead at the age of 50 in a hotel located in Tokyo. Apparently, he had taken 20x the recommended amount of medication he was on -Veronal. |
Early Life
Kristian was born on December 13, 1867 in Christiana, Norway, which is currently known as Oslo. At 18, he wrote his first scientific paper. Krisitian Birkeland married late in his life to Ida Hammer in the year 1905.
Beginning to Investigate
Kristian Birkeland was fascinated by the Northern Lights. He recreated the aurora borealis inside his lab in Norway, and climbed the Haldde Mountain with five others just to see and observe the Lights. To fund this, he created many things. Birkeland tried to invent an electromagnetic cannon to be used in the war and start a firearms company, but when the cannon was not as successful as he had hoped it would be, he abandoned this idea for another: artificial fertilizer. He created a great way to invent this and went into a partnership with Sam Eyde. For the technology he invented, he was nominated for the Nobel Prize.
Kristian Birkeland found out what the aurora borealis was - energized particles that are seperated from the sun and drawn to the polar atmospheres by Earth's magnetic field. His recreation of the Northern Lights proved this point, but back then no one believed him.
Depression and Death
After four years, Ida Hammer left Birkeland because she felt he was more married to his work than he was to her. He began taking Veranol, a medication to help insomnia, and began to drink a lot. He was found dead in a hotel in Tokyo with 10g of Veronal in his system compared to the .5g he was supposed to take.
After Death
In 1960, satellites were able to prove that Kristian's theory about the Northern Lights was correct. A form of electric currents were named Birkeland currents after him.
Fun FactKristian Birkeland often wore a fez and slippers when he worked in his lab. |
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