Death of Walther Nernst (German chemist, Nobel laureate 1920), November 18, 1920. Walther Nernst was a prominent figure in physical chemistry during the early twentieth century, whose research in thermodynamics and electrochemistry had a significant impact on the advancement of these sciences. In 1920, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his formulation of the theory of chemical affinity and the development of the third law of thermodynamics. Nernst was born in 1864 in Germany and spent much of his professional life at the University of Göttingen and the University of Berlin. He introduced the Nernst equation, which played a crucial role in understanding electrochemical phenomena, and his work on free energy and chemical reactions laid the foundation for many later developments in chemistry and physics. His contributions found applications not only in academia but also in the chemical and electrical industries. Nernst's death on November 18, 1920, marked the end of an era of scientific innovation in Europe. He is still remembered in scientific circles, and his works remain central to the teaching of physical chemistry. This date was added to the Gregorian calendar to commemorate the scientific significance and achievements of Walther Nernst.
