author
William Henry Bragg
1862–1942
A pioneer of X-ray science, he helped reveal how crystals are built atom by atom. His work with his son Lawrence Bragg transformed modern physics and chemistry and earned them the 1915 Nobel Prize in Physics.
1 Audiobook
Concerning the nature of things
by William Henry Bragg
About the author
Born in Cumberland, England, on July 2, 1862, William Henry Bragg studied mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge, before beginning a long academic career that took him from the University of Adelaide to Leeds, University College London, and the Royal Institution. Along the way he became known for a gift for clear explanation as well as for original research.
Bragg is best remembered for developing X-ray methods that made it possible to analyze crystal structure. Working closely with his son, William Lawrence Bragg, he helped open the way for X-ray crystallography, one of the key scientific tools of the twentieth century. Their shared Nobel Prize in Physics in 1915 remains one of the most famous family achievements in science.
He continued to lead research and public scientific work for decades, especially at the Royal Institution, where he became an influential senior figure in British science. He died in London on March 12, 1942, leaving behind discoveries that changed how scientists study matter.