Scientists, Inventors And Techno Wizards

[YoungWillz 18,948]

Dr Levi Watkins Jr, who created the system which would allow detection of ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, has died at the age of 70. http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2015/04/11/tsu-alumnus-medical-pioneer-levi-watkins-dies/25657237/

 

Edit: Close to some people's hearts....cheque please.

[gcreptile 10,211]

The "Einstein of Turkey", Oktay Sinanoglu is dead at 80:

 

http://www.dailysabah.com/nation/2015/04/20/turkeys-einstein-oktay-sinanoglu-passes-away-at-80

 

He was a chemist and became the youngest-ever person to become a full professor at Yale in 1963.

[gcreptile 10,211]

Computer scientist Valery Spinidonov, aged 30, has volunteered to be the subject of the world's first head transplant operation. I'll leave it for others to judge his chances of success.

 

His life-limiting diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy is the reason he has chosen risk such pioneering surgery.

Here's a video about him:

 

http://www.theguardian.com/science/video/2015/apr/23/russian-man-worlds-first-head-transplant-video

 

I can understand the desire. Though they say that the operation is meant to take place within the next 2 years, and it doesn't sound as if Mr. Spiridonov will live that long.

[gcreptile 10,211]

The father of the DSL-technology, Joseph Lechleider is dead at 82:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/04/technology/joseph-lechleider-a-father-of-the-dsl-internet-technology-dies-at-82.html

 

I guess in 10 years, nobody will remember what DSL is anymore.

[BuriedInCarolina 45]

"Alexander Rich Dies; Confirmed DNA’s Double Helix - died at 90 on April 27 in Boston, doggedly investigated DNA and RNA, the fundamental molecules of life."

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/06/us/alexander-rich-dies-at-90-confirmed-dnas-double-helix.html?

[YoungWillz 18,948]

Oscar Holderer, one of the last members of Wernher von Braun's team who built the Saturn V rocket has died at 95. http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2015/05/oscar_holderer_last_of_wernher.html

 

The wind tunnel used by NASA to test the Saturn V – and still used today - was Holderer's design.

 

Edit: BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-32620119

[YoungWillz 18,948]

Antonio Fabrizi, rocket scientist, 67. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11621493/Antonio-Fabrizi-rocket-scientist-obituary.html

[gcreptile 10,211]

The often overlooked fifth Beatle discoverer of the DNA, Prof. Raymond Gosling, is dead at 88:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11621568/Edward-Adeane-courtier-obituary.html

 

It was him who took the crucial X-ray photograph that "unlocked the secrets of the DNA", though they were sometimes credited to Rosalind Franklin at a later point.

[gcreptile 10,211]

"Legendary" hot rod builder John G. Geraghty is dead at 85:

 

http://www.hotrod.com/news/1506-legendary-grasshopper-builder-john-j-geraghty-passes-away-at-85/

 

He invented the hot rod model known as the "Grasshopper".

[gcreptile 10,211]

Frederick Pei Li, discoverer of the Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, which indicates a higher genetic disposition towards cancer, has died at 75, of Alzheimer's nor of cancer:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/22/health/frederick-p-li-who-proved-a-genetic-cancer-link-dies-at-75.html?_r=0

[mijkediablo 79]

Caspar Bowden, former Chief Privacy Adviser to Microsoft (surely a misnomer?), has died. No cause yet, and the report doesn't specify his age.

 

http://uk.businessinsider.com/microsofts-former-chief-adviser-caspar-bowden-has-reportedly-died-2015-7?r=US

[gcreptile 10,211]

Important member of the Rosetta Mission (The satellite surrounding an asteroid) and inspiring figure for women in sciences, Claudia Alexander is dead at 56:

 

http://www.astronomy.com/news/2015/07/pioneering-rosetta-mission-scientist-claudia-alexander-dead-at-56

[gcreptile 10,211]

Nigel Mackenzie, inventor of the banoffee pie, has died:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/11750703/The-inventor-of-the-banoffee-pie-has-died.html

[Phantom 2,465]

Nigel Mackenzie, inventor of the banoffee pie, has died:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/11750703/The-inventor-of-the-banoffee-pie-has-died.html

 

It's strange that they don't mention his age or hardly any other details.

[gcreptile 10,211]

 

Nigel Mackenzie, inventor of the banoffee pie, has died:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/11750703/The-inventor-of-the-banoffee-pie-has-died.html

 

It's strange that they don't mention his age or hardly any other details.

 

Now you made me check. The Telegraph already published a "proper" obit a couple of days ago:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11746921/Nigel-Mackenzie-restaurateur-obituary.html

 

But, the food section, for some reason, decided to write another one. Maybe they were annoyed at the spelling of the name of that pie.

[Phantom 2,465]

 

 

Nigel Mackenzie, inventor of the banoffee pie, has died:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/11750703/The-inventor-of-the-banoffee-pie-has-died.html

 

It's strange that they don't mention his age or hardly any other details.

 

Now you made me check. The Telegraph already published a "proper" obit a couple of days ago:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11746921/Nigel-Mackenzie-restaurateur-obituary.html

 

But, the food section, for some reason, decided to write another one. Maybe they were annoyed at the spelling of the name of that pie.

 

 

Now that's a proper obit and actually gives details of his accomplishments as a restaurateur other than the invention of the banoffee pie, although in the new obit they constantly mis-spell the name of the pie.

I always thought it was more popular over here in the US than it was in the UK given the it's sickly sweet and a couple of bites of it makes your teeth itch.

[YoungWillz 18,948]

Miami doctor James Jude, who pioneered the use of CPR way back in the 1950s into the 1960s, has died at 87. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/obituaries/article29237104.html

 

Edit: Here's a background article from 2011 mentioning him: http://www.emsmuseum.org/virtual-museum/by_era/articles/399789-CPR-and-the-First-Defibrillator-Drs-Kouwenhoven-Jude-and-Knickerbocker

[gcreptile 10,211]

Jules Hirsch, obesity researcher, is dead at 88:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/30/science/jules-hirsch-pioneer-in-obesity-studies-is-dead-at-88.html?_r=0

[BuriedInCarolina 45]

Forrest Bird, aviator and inventor, dies at 94 - perhaps he has earned a new set of wings now!

 

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/aug/03/forrest-bird-aviator-and-inventor-dies-94/

[Sir Creep 7,011]

Computer scientist Valery Spinidonov, aged 30, has volunteered to be the subject of the world's first head transplant operation. I'll leave it for others to judge his chances of success.

 

His life-limiting diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy is the reason he has chosen risk such pioneering surgery.

 

Scheduled for December 2017, if it's not too early to start an Ideas and Possibilities 2017 thread.

SC

[Sir Creep 7,011]

One of my favorite obits this year---Daniel Thompson, who invented the bagel-making machine allowing for their mass production. A huge RIP and thank you good sir!

SC

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/22/business/daniel-thompson-whose-bagel-machine-altered-the-american-diet-dies-at-94.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share

[gcreptile 10,211]

Roy Dommett, creator of the UK nuclear arsenal during the Cold War and avid Morris Dancer, has died at 82:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11980063/Roy-Dommett-rocket-scientist-obituary.html

 

If I had known about him, I would have included him in the HPDP for the Morris dancing bonus. I also picked Phil Rudd there just for the drummer bonus.

[gcreptile 10,211]

Gene Amdahl, constructor of IBM mainframes still existing today, and discoverer of Amdahl's Law, is dead at 92:

 

http://www.computerworld.com/article/3004884/high-performance-computing/gene-amdahl-ibm-mainframe-architect-then-a-rival-has-died.html

[Magere Hein 1,397]

Gene Amdahl, constructor of IBM mainframes still existing today, and discoverer of Amdahl's Law, is dead at 92:

 

http://www.computerworld.com/article/3004884/high-performance-computing/gene-amdahl-ibm-mainframe-architect-then-a-rival-has-died.html

 

Ooh, that's a biggie!

[gcreptile 10,211]

 

Gene Amdahl, constructor of IBM mainframes still existing today, and discoverer of Amdahl's Law, is dead at 92:

 

http://www.computerworld.com/article/3004884/high-performance-computing/gene-amdahl-ibm-mainframe-architect-then-a-rival-has-died.html

 

Ooh, that's a biggie!

 

I'm not totally sure, but I guess he was an A-List name in the IT world. Now I'm tempted to ask you... are you an IT guy?