Guglielmo Marconi
Facts
Photo from the Nobel Foundation archive.
Guglielmo Marconi
The Nobel Prize in Physics 1909
Born: 25 April 1874, Bologna, Italy
Died: 20 July 1937, Rome, Italy
Affiliation at the time of the award: Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co. Ltd., London, United Kingdom
Prize motivation: “in recognition of their contributions to the development of wireless telegraphy”
Prize share: 1/2
Work
In the late 1880s a previously unknown type of radiation was discovered—radio waves. It was found to have the same nature as light, but with a greater wavelength. Various physicists and technicians investigated whether radio waves could be used to transmit signals. In 1895, Guglielmo Marconi used radio waves to transmit signals over a distance of several kilometers. He developed the technology in subsequent years to achieve greater range. The foundation for both wireless telegraphy and radio had been laid.
Nobel Prizes and laureates
Six prizes were awarded for achievements that have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind. The 12 laureates' work and discoveries range from proteins' structures and machine learning to fighting for a world free of nuclear weapons.
See them all presented here.
