February 28

André Dumont was a pioneering Belgian geologist and academic who laid the foundations of modern geological mapping in Belgium. Born in 1809, he conducted extensive surveys to identify mineral deposits and coal fields that fueled the Industrial Revolution. Dumont became a professor at the University of Ghent, where he trained a generation of geologists. He introduced systematic fieldwork methods and stratigraphic classification to Belgian geology. His work on geological nomenclature and mapping standards had a lasting impact on earth sciences. He died in 1857, leaving a detailed geological map that remains a landmark in the study of Belgium's subsurface.

Clemens von Pirquet was an Austrian physician and immunologist who introduced the concept of allergy to medical science. Born in 1874, he studied at the University of Vienna and later directed the pediatric clinic at the University of Innsbruck. In 1906, he described serum sickness and proposed the term 'allergy' to explain hypersensitive reactions. His pioneering research laid the groundwork for modern immunology and diagnostic skin testing. Pirquet’s work revolutionized our understanding of immune responses and disease mechanisms. He died in 1929, remembered as a founding figure in the field of allergy and immunology.

Guillaume Bigourdan was a French astronomer and academic renowned for his meticulous observations of stars and nebulae. Born in Toulouse in 1851, he studied at the École Normale Supérieure and later became a professor at the Paris Observatory. Bigourdan dedicated his career to verifying and improving star catalogs, reducing observational errors. He led expeditions to measure stellar parallaxes and served as general secretary of the International Astronomical Union. His systematic work contributed significantly to the precision of celestial mapping. He died in 1932, leaving a legacy of rigorous astronomical methodology.

Charles Nicolle was a French biologist and Nobel Prize laureate celebrated for uncovering how epidemic typhus is transmitted. Born in 1866, he directed the Pasteur Institute in Tunis, where he conducted groundbreaking research on lice as disease vectors. In 1928, he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for identifying lice transmission of typhus, saving countless lives. Nicolle’s work laid the foundation for modern epidemiology and vector control strategies. He authored several influential studies on infectious diseases and public health. He died in 1936, leaving a profound impact on tropical medicine.

Born January 23, 1927, in Dallas, Texas. Graduated from MIT with a degree in aeronautical engineering. Served as a US Navy test pilot and flew combat missions in the Korean War. Selected by NASA in 1962 as part of Astronaut Group 2. Assigned as command pilot for the Gemini 9 mission. Tragically died in a T-38 jet crash at St. Louis Lambert Field on February 28, 1966. Never flew in space, but made significant contributions to spacecraft systems engineering.

Born February 1, 1914, in Atlanta, Georgia. Earned his doctorate in history from Oxford University. Authored landmark books like The Americans: National Experience, winning a Pulitzer Prize in 1974. Served as the 12th Librarian of Congress from 1975 to 1987. Advocated for the expansion of library services and public scholarship. Wrote over a dozen books exploring American culture, history, and innovation. Celebrated for making history accessible and engaging to general audiences. Passed away February 28, 2004, leaving a legacy of public intellectualism.

Born in San Francisco in 1920, Chamberlain studied at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1955, he and Emilio Segrè conducted experiments that led to the discovery of the antiproton. Their work earned them the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1959. He served as a professor at UC Berkeley for over three decades, mentoring future scientists. A committed advocate for nuclear disarmament, he later spoke out against nuclear proliferation. He passed away in 2006, leaving a legacy of fundamental contributions to particle physics.

Born in 1917 into a family of historians, Schlesinger graduated from Harvard University. He served as Special Assistant to President Kennedy from 1961 to 1963. His Pulitzer Prize–winning works include A Thousand Days and The Age of Jackson. He was a leading voice on liberal policy and presidential power, coining the term 'imperial presidency'. He taught history at Harvard and influenced generations of historians and political thinkers. He died in 2007, remembered for his scholarly insight and public engagement.

Born in Cleveland in 1926, Glaser earned his Ph.D. in physics at UC Berkeley. In 1952, he invented the bubble chamber, revolutionizing particle detection. He shared the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1960 for this groundbreaking work. Later in his career, he shifted to molecular biology and founded a biotechnology company. He served as a professor at UC Berkeley, mentoring students across disciplines. He died in 2013, remembered for bridging physics and biology in innovative research.

Born in 1935 in Eindhoven, Corstius studied mathematics and computer science. He became a columnist for NRC Handelsblad under various pseudonyms such as Battus. His wordplay articles and puzzles earned him a devoted readership and literary awards. He published novels, essays on linguistics, and works on artificial intelligence. In 1990, he won the prestigious P. C. Hooft Prize for his contributions to Dutch literature. He died in 2014, leaving a legacy of wit and scholarship in language studies.

Freeman Dyson was a British-American theoretical physicist and mathematician whose work reshaped quantum electrodynamics. Born in 1923 in England, he collaborated with leading scientists such as Hans Bethe at Cornell University. He developed the Dyson series formulation, unifying perturbation methods in quantum electrodynamics. Dyson proposed the concept of the Dyson sphere and made significant contributions to number theory and solid-state physics. He served as a professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton for over five decades. Dyson also authored popular science books, engaging the public with topics from space exploration to futurism. His interdisciplinary research and visionary ideas left a lasting legacy in theoretical physics and cosmology.