J. D. Bernal
John Desmond Bernal | |
|---|---|
Bernal in 1949, photo by Wolfgang Suschitzky | |
| Born | 10 May 1901 Nenagh, County Tipperary, Ireland |
| Died | 15 September 1971 (aged 70) London, England |
| Resting place | Battersea Cemetery, Morden (unmarked) |
| Education | Bedford School |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge |
| Known for | Bernal chart Bernal sphere Bernal stacking Bernal–Fowler rules Zone melting |
| Spouse |
Agnes Eileen Sprague
(m. 1922) |
| Children | 4, including Martin |
| Awards | Royal Medal (1945) Guthrie lecture (1947) Stalin Peace Prize (1953) Grotius Gold Medal (1959) Bakerian Lecture (1962) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | X-ray crystallography |
| Institutions | Birkbeck College, University of London |
| Doctoral advisor | William Henry Bragg |
| Doctoral students | |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1944–1945 |
| Rank | Lieutenant (RNVR) |
| Battles / wars | Second World War |
John Desmond Bernal FRS (/bərˈnɑːl/; 10 May 1901 – 15 September 1971) was an Irish scientist who pioneered the use of X-ray crystallography in molecular biology. He published extensively on the history of science. In addition, Bernal wrote popular books on science and society. He was a communist activist and a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB).