On This Day – March 31 : German chemist Robert Bunsen was born on this day in 1811

The exact date of Bunsen’s birth is disputed, and some sources claim he was born on March 30. It is thought that Bunsen himself celebrated his birthday on 31 March in his later years. Bunsen pioneered spectroscopy using his famous invention of the Bunsen burner to produce the clean flame necessary to heat substances and measure the wavelengths of light they emit. Using this method, Bunsen discovered caesium (Cs) and rubidium (Rb).

Related resources: 

• Money to burn
• Classic Kit: Bunsen burner
• Periodic table