James Prescott Joule

James Prescott Joule was an English physicist, mathematician and brewer, born in Salford, Lancashire. Joule studied the nature of heat, and discovered its relationship to mechanical work. This led to the law of conservation of energy, which in turn led to the development of the first law of thermodynamics. The SI derived unit of energy, the joule, is named after him.

24 December 1818

Born on the same birth day (24 December): Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin • Baby Dodds • December 24 • Ellen Braumüller • Gene Sperling • Hans Rebane • Louis Jouvet • Noel Streatfeild • On Kawara • Randy Neugebauer • Ricky Martin • Timo Jutila • Yıldıray Baştürk

Born in the same month (December 1818): Carl Remigius Fresenius • Charles III, Prince of Monaco • Mary Todd Lincoln