Edward Mills Purcell
1912 – 1997

Edward Mills Purcell

American physicist (1912-1997)

nuclear physicistuniversity teacherphysicist
Born
1912-08-30, Taylorville
Died
1997-03-07
Birthplace state
Illinois

Biography

Edward Mills Purcell was an American physicist who shared the 1952 Nobel Prize in Physics with Felix Bloch for his independent discovery of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in liquids and in solids. NMR has become widely used to study the molecular structure of pure materials and the composition of mixtures. Friends and colleagues knew him as Ed Purcell.

Occupation

Edward Mills Purcell is recorded as a nuclear physicist, a university teacher and a physicist, born in Illinois (1912–1997).

Connections to Illinois

Edward Mills Purcell was born in Taylorville, Illinois in 1912. Explore other notable figures from Illinois, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Everything a full report reveals about Taylorville

Edward Mills Purcell came from Taylorville. A full Aubrey report on Taylorville pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from Illinois

Other historical figures born in Illinois, ranked by historical prominence.

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Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
American author and journalist (1899–1961)
Robin Williams
Robin Williams
American actor and comedian (1951–2014)
Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
American author and screenwriter (1920–2012)
Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer
American chess player (1943–2008)
James Watson
James Watson
American molecular biologist, geneticist, zoologist and Nobel Laureate (1928–2025)

Frequently asked about Edward Mills Purcell

Who was Edward Mills Purcell?
Edward Mills Purcell was American physicist (1912-1997), born in Illinois (1912 – 1997).
When and where was Edward Mills Purcell born?
Edward Mills Purcell was born on 1912-08-30 in Taylorville.
When did Edward Mills Purcell die?
Edward died on 1997-03-07.
What was Edward Mills Purcell known for?
Edward Mills Purcell is recorded as a nuclear physicist, a university teacher and a physicist.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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