FRANTIŠEK BĚHOUNEK (1898–1973)
Life and studies
František Běhounek was born on 27 October 1898 in Prague. He studied physics and mathematics at the Faculty of Science of Charles University.
In the 1920s he continued his scientific work in Paris at the Sorbonne, where he became a student of Marie Curie-Sklodowska. Under her guidance he focused on the study of radioactivity and cosmic radiation.
After returning to Czechoslovakia he became one of the pioneers of modern nuclear physics in the country.
Polar expedition
In 1928 Běhounek took part in the famous polar expedition led by the Italian general Umberto Nobile aboard the airship Italia. His role was to carry out scientific measurements during the flight.
The expedition ended in disaster when the airship crashed on the Arctic ice. Several crew members died and the survivors waited for weeks for rescue.
Eventually they were rescued by the Soviet icebreaker Krasin, one of the first vessels of its kind in the world.
Scientific and literary work
After returning from the expedition Běhounek continued his scientific work in radiology, nuclear physics and cosmic radiation.
He was also active as a writer and published a number of popular science books and adventure novels inspired by scientific exploration.
Běhounek and Jáchymov
Towards the end of his life František Běhounek visited Jáchymov as a patient of the local spa. The radon spa treatment there was closely connected with the scientific field to which he had devoted his entire career.
Death
František Běhounek died on 1 January 1973 in Karlovy Vary.
