Question

Who is J. J Thomson?

Answer 1

`"Joseph John Thomson, 1856-1940."`

Explanation:

[See this site.](http://www.phy.cam.ac.uk/history/electron/autobiography) It was said of him posthumously that,

`"He, more than any other man, was responsible for the"` `"fundamental change in outlook which distinguishes"`
`"the physics of this century from that of the last."`

Thomson was a full professor at 28 years of age (an amazing accomplishment, and a tribute to his peers who unjealously recognized his precocious ability), and succeeded Lord Rayleigh as Cavendish Professor at Cambridge. Thomson was awarded the Nobel prize in 1906........

I cannot find the quote, but there was a public comment in the 19th century by a Manchester alderman, who deprecated the value of book learning, who said:

`"There was a clever, little boy with us at school, little Joey"` `"Thomson, who won all the prizes. But whoever hears of Joey"`
`"Thomson now, what did all his learning do for him?"`

Of course `"Joey Thomson"` was the same `"Joseph John Thomson"`.