Sir Henry Miers

Abstract

SHOULD it not be recalled that Sir Henry Miers gave the clue for the discovery of terrestrial helium ? In 1868, Norman Lockyer, founder and first editor of NATURE, observed in the spectrum of a solar prominence the characteristic yellow line of helium, previously unknown. In 1888, Dr. Hillebrand, of Washington, discovered that the mineral uraninite treated with sulphuric acid gave a gas which he suspected to be nitrogen. On the discovery of argon in 1895 by Rayleigh and Ramsay, search was made for sources of nitrogen, and Miers suggested to Ramsay examination of the gas discovered by Hillebrand. Ramsay sent a sample to Crookes for spectroscopic analysis: Crookes said “This is helium”.