Pockels, Agnes (1862–1935)

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Pockels, Agnes (1862–1935)

Austrian chemist. Born Feb 14, 1862, in Venice, Italy; dau. of a Royal Austrian Army officer stationed there; died 1935.

An amateur chemist and namesake of "Pockels point" (scientific term regarding surface molecules), researched the properties of water surfaces; communicated scientific findings for 1st time (1891); corresponded with British physicist Lord Rayleigh, who submitted her 1st paper to Nature (1891); reported that substances (water-insoluble layers) dissolved in benzene could be added to the surface of water (1892), a method used a century later; invited to professional gatherings in Germany; conducted less research after 1902, in large part due to responsibilities as a caregiver to ill family members and her own poor health.