Balfour Stewart

Born in Scotland on November 1, 1828, Balfour Stewart became known for important work on radiant heat and the way bodies absorb and emit energy. His research earned him the Royal Society's Rumford Medal in 1868, marking him out as one of the notable physicists of his day.

In 1859 he was appointed director of Kew Observatory, where he worked in meteorology and terrestrial physics as well as laboratory science. He later became professor of physics at Owens College in Manchester, a post he held for the rest of his life.

Stewart wrote for both specialist and general readers, helping bring difficult scientific ideas within reach. He died on December 19, 1887, but his name remains closely tied to 19th-century advances in physics and meteorology.