J. D. Bernal
A visionary, politically engaged scientist who first photographed the structure of a protein and whose mind roamed from the origins of life to the architecture of utopia.
1901–1971 (age 70)·Irish scientist, pioneer of X-ray crystallography in biology·Birthday: May 10·The Greatest Generation
Biography
J.D. Bernal was a scientific polymath with a mind of breathtaking scope. In his Cambridge lab, he pushed X-ray crystallography from a tool for simple minerals to a window into the architecture of life itself. His 1934 photograph of a protein crystal—pepsin—proved these massive molecules had ordered structures that could be decoded, lighting the path for future Nobel winners like Perutz and Franklin. Bernal’s curiosity was boundless; he wrote seminal works on the social function of science, the origins of life on Earth, and even the science of building construction. A committed communist, he advised Allied governments on operational research during World War II, applying scientific principles to the D-Day landings. His later years were spent weaving together his scientific and political passions, arguing for science as a force for global good. To his peers, he was a brilliant, inspiring, and sometimes frustratingly diffuse genius.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
J. was born in 1901, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When J. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1901
J.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1901Born
Queen Victoria dies, ending the Victorian era
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1906Started school
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1914Became a teenager
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1917Could drive
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1919Could vote
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Turned 21
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1931Turned 30
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1941Turned 40
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1951Turned 50
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1961Turned 60
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 70
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
Key Achievements
- Obtained the first X-ray diffraction pattern of a protein (pepsin) in 1934, proving biological molecules had regular structures that could be studied.
- Authored ‘The Social Function of Science’ (1939), a foundational text in the sociology of science.
- Made significant contributions to operational research during World War II, including analysis for the Normandy landings.
- Wrote ‘The World, the Flesh and the Devil’ (1929), a speculative essay predicting space colonization and genetic engineering that inspired many scientists.
Did You Know?
He was known as ‘Sage’ to his friends and colleagues due to his encyclopedic knowledge and habit of dispensing ideas.
His laboratory at Cambridge, known as the ‘Bernal Institute,’ became a nurturing ground for a generation of crystallographers and molecular biologists.
He was a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain and remained a committed Marxist throughout his life, which affected his ability to travel to the United States.
“The moral of science is that the truth is always more exciting and more strange than our imperfect imagination.”
