1884-1962. Swiss scientist. In 1931-32, he
and his twin brother, Jean Felix (1884-1963),
made ascents to 17,000 m/55,000 ft in a
balloon of his own design, resulting in
useful discoveries concerning stratospheric
phenomena such as cosmic rays. He also built
and used, with his son Jacques Ernest
(1922-), bathyscaphs for research under the
sea. Born in Basel, he became professor of
physics at the University of Brussels 1922.