Antoine Henri Becquerel May 2026

: In 1899, he demonstrated that some radioactive rays (beta particles) could be deflected by magnetic fields, proving they were charged particles rather than waves.

: Days later, he developed the plate and found a clear, dark image of the crystals—meaning they were emitting "penetrating rays" spontaneously, without any external energy source like the sun. antoine henri becquerel

: In 1901, after being accidentally burned by a vial of radium in his pocket, he realized that radioactivity could affect living tissue. This led to the birth of radiotherapy for treating cancer. Awards and Legacy Henri Becquerel – Facts - NobelPrize.org : In 1899, he demonstrated that some radioactive

: He was the first to realize that beta particles were identical to the high-speed electrons recently discovered by J.J. Thomson. This led to the birth of radiotherapy for treating cancer

Beyond the initial discovery, Becquerel’s research advanced the field in several ways: