Sir Frederick Banting Sir Frederick Banting (1891-1941). Canadian medical scientist. In 1921, while .working at the University of Toronto, he and Charles Best discovered insulin, a hormone produced …
Bannister Sir Roger Bannister Sir Roger (1929). British athlete. On 6 May 1954 he became the first man to run a mile in less than four minutes (3 …
Balzac Honore de Balzac Honore de (1799-1850). French novelist, who achieved his first success with Les Chouans (1829). His major novels fit into an overall scheme, The Human Comedy, …
Baldwin Stanley Baldwin Stanley (1867-1947). British Conservative statesman. After leaving Cambridge, Baldwin joined his father’s iron and steel business and did not enter Parliament until 1908. He served …
Baird John Logie Baird John Logie (1888-1946). Scottish inventor of television. Baird began his research into the problems of televising moving objects at the age of 18. In …
Baden-Powell Robert Lord Baden-Powell Robert Lord (1857-1941). British general, founder of the Scout movement. He served in India and Africa, commanding the defence of Mafeking (1899-1900) with a …
Bacon Francis Bacon Francis (1561-1626). English philosopher and politician, the son of a courtier of Elizabeth I. He deserted his patron, the Earl of Essex. during the latter’s …
Bach Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian (1685-1750). German composer. He came from a musical family, and at 19 went to the court at Weimar as an organist and …
