Robert Hill 1899 - 1991

occupation:
Astronomer, Biochemist, Inventor
Nationality:
British
born in:
Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom

Robert (known as Robin) Hill; plant biochemist born Leamington Spa in 1899; studied at Bedale's School where he first became interested in plant-based dyes (and also astronomy, publishing a paper on sunspots in 1917); studied at Cambridge University, where he designed and patented the first fish-eye lens in 1923, designed for photographing cloud formations; Hill's Cloud lens was used by the British Meteorological Office for many years; studied haemoglobin's chemical and spectroscopic properties; pioneer in study of photosynthesis; elected Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1946; retired in 1966.