| Authorised form of name | Foucault; Jean Bernard Leon (1819 - 1868) |
| Dates | 1819 - 1868 |
| Nationality | French |
| Place of birth | Paris, France |
| Date of birth | 18 September 1819 |
| Place of death | Paris, France |
| Date of death | 11 February 1868 |
| Research field | Experimental physics |
| Activity | Career:
Began studying medicine, but gave it up in favour of physics; studied the diurnal motion of the earth; Physical Assistant, Imperial Observatory; paralysed (1867)
|
| Membership category | Foreign Member |
| Date of election | 09/06/1864 |
| RSActivity | Medals and prizes:
Copley Medal 1855 |
| Source | Sources:
Bulloch's Roll; DSB
Obituaries:
Proc Roy Soc 1868-1869 vol 17 pp lxxxiii-lxxxiv
References:
A A Mills and R Hall, 'The Production of a Plane Surface. As Illustrated by Specula From Some Early Newtonian Telescopes' in NR 1982-83 vol 37 pp 147-166
Otto Mayr, 'Victorian Physicists and Speed Regulation: An Encounter Between Science and Technology' in NR 1971 vol 26 pp 205-228
T Quinn, 'Foucault, a man of many parts. William Tobin, The Life and Science of Leon Foucault: the man who proved the Earth rotates' in NR 2004 vol 58 p 239-242
Notes:
DSB gives birth date as 19 September 1819 |
| Virtual International Authority File | http://viaf.org/viaf/69024801 |
| Code | NA7544 |
Archives associated with this Fellow
| RefNo | Title | Date |
| EC/1864/18 | Foucault, Jean Bernard Leon: certificate of election to the Royal Society | |
| MC/7/84 | Letter from J [Jean] Foucault, Paris, to General [Edward] Sabine, President of the Royal Society | 1 June 1864 |