Nils Johan Berlin

Nils Johan Berlin
Born(1812-02-18)18 February 1812
Died27 December 1891(1891-12-27) (aged 79)
Stockholm, Sweden
Alma materUniversity of Uppsala
Scientific career
Fieldschemistry and medicine
InstitutionsUniversity of Lund
Doctoral advisorJöns Jacob Berzelius

Nils Johan Berlin (Nils Johannes Berlin) (18 February 1812 – 27 December 1891) was a Swedish chemist and physician, who held various professorships at the University of Lund from 1843 to 1864. Berlin was the first chemist who took the initiative to write a textbook on elementary science, the purpose being to provide basic science education for the general public.

His chemistry research emphasized the study of minerals, especially the newly-discovered rare earths, having devised means of separating yttrium and erbium. The mineral berlinite (a type of aluminium phosphate) is named after him. Berlin became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1844.