Victor Francis Hess
Scientists

Victor Francis Hess Net Worth

Victor Francis Hess was an Austrian-American physicist who won the 1936 Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery of cosmic radiation. Born in 1883, he graduated from the University of Graz and worked at the Institute of Radium Research of the Viennese Academy of Sciences, where he discovered that atmospheric ionization was caused by a highly penetrating ray from outer space. Despite few takers of his theory, he was eventually awarded the Nobel Prize for his invention. He continued teaching at Austrian universities until Austria was occupied by Germany, after which he fled to the US and continued his research work in radioactivity. He was strongly opposed to nuclear tests due to his belief that very little was known about radioactivity to guarantee safety.
Victor Francis Hess is a member of Scientists

Age, Biography and Wiki

Who is it? Discoverer of Cosmic Rays
Birth Day June 24, 1883
Birth Place Peggau, United States
Age 136 YEARS OLD
Died On 17 December 1964(1964-12-17) (aged 81)\nMount Vernon, New York, USA
Birth Sign Cancer
Alma mater University of Graz
Known for Discovery of cosmic rays
Spouse(s) Marie Bertha Warner Breisky (m. 1920–1955) Elizabeth M. Hoenke (m. 1955–1964) (1905-1973)
Awards Nobel Prize in Physics (1936)
Fields Physics
Institutions University of Graz Austrian Academy of Sciences University of Innsbruck Fordham University

💰 Net worth

Victor Francis Hess, the renowned Discoverer of Cosmic Rays in the United States, is expected to have a net worth ranging from $100,000 to $1 million by 2024. Known for his groundbreaking research and contributions in the field of astronomy, Hess's work on cosmic rays has revolutionized our understanding of the universe. With his significant scientific achievements and recognition, it is not surprising that his net worth reflects his expertise and success.

Biography/Timeline

1883

He was born to Vinzenz Hess and Serafine Edle von Grossbauer-Waldstätt, in Waldstein Castle, near Peggau in Styria, Austria on 24 June 1883. His father was a royal forester in Prince Louis of Oettingen-Wallerstein's Service. He attended secondary school at Graz Gymnasium from 1893 to 1901.

1901

From 1901 to 1905 Hess was an undergraduate student at the University of Graz, and continued postgraduate studies in physics until he received his PhD there in 1910. He worked as Assistant under Stefan Meyer at the Institute for Radium Research, Viennese Academy of Sciences, from 1910 to 1920.

1911

Between 1911 and 1913, Hess undertook the work that won him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1936. For many years, Scientists had been puzzled by the levels of ionizing radiation measured in the atmosphere. The assumption at the time was that the radiation would decrease as the distance from the earth, the source of the radiation, increased. The electroscopes previously used gave an approximate measurement of the radiation, but indicated that at greater altitude in the atmosphere the level of radiation might actually be higher than that on the ground. Hess approached this mystery first by greatly increasing the precision of the measuring equipment, and then by personally taking the equipment aloft in a balloon. He systematically measured the radiation at altitudes up to 5.3 km during 1911-12. The daring flights were made both at day and during the night, at significant risk to himself.

1921

Hess took a leave of absence in 1921 and travelled to the United States, working at the United States Radium Corporation, in New Jersey, and as Consulting Physicist for the US Bureau of Mines, in Washington DC. In 1923, he returned to the University of Graz, and was appointed the Ordinary Professor of Experimental Physics in 1925. The University of Innsbruck appointed him Professor, and Director Institute of Radiology, in 1931.

1925

The result of Hess's meticulous work was published in the Proceedings of the Viennese Academy of Sciences, and showed the level of radiation decreased up to an altitude of about 1 km, but above that the level increased considerably, with the radiation detected at 5 km being about twice that at sea level. His conclusion was that there was radiation penetrating the atmosphere from outer space, and his discovery was confirmed by Robert Andrews Millikan in 1925, who gave the radiation the name "cosmic rays". Hess's discovery opened the door to many new discoveries in particle and nuclear physics. In particular, both the positron and the muon were first discovered in cosmic rays by Carl David Anderson. Hess and Anderson shared the 1936 Nobel Prize in Physics.

1938

Hess relocated to the United States with his Jewish wife in 1938, in order to escape Nazi persecution. The same year Fordham University appointed him Professor of Physics, and he later became a naturalized United States citizen in 1944. His wife died of cancer in 1955. The same year he married Elizabeth M. Hoenke, the woman who nursed Berta at the end of her life.

1964

He was a practicing Roman Catholic [1], and in 1946 he wrote on the topic of the relationship between science and religion in his article "My Faith", in which he explained why he believed in God. He retired from Fordham University in 1958 and he died on 17 December 1964, in Mount Vernon, New York from Parkinson's disease.

Some Victor Francis Hess images

About the author

Lisa Scholfield

As a Senior Writer at Famous Net Worth, I spearhead an exceptional team dedicated to uncovering and sharing the stories of pioneering individuals. My passion for unearthing untold narratives drives me to delve deep into the essence of each subject, bringing forth a unique blend of factual accuracy and narrative allure. In orchestrating the editorial workflow, I am deeply involved in every step—from initial research to the final touches of publishing, ensuring each biography not only informs but also engages and inspires our readership.