Nils Johan Berlin
1812–1891 (age 79)
Biography
Nils Johan Berlin (Nils Johannes Berlin) (18 February 1812 – 27 December 1891) was a Swedish chemist and physician, who held various professorships at the University of Lund from 1843 to 1864. Berlin was the first chemist who took the initiative to write a textbook on elementary science, the purpose being to provide basic science education for the general public.
His chemistry research emphasized the study of minerals, especially the newly-discovered rare earths, having devised means of separating yttrium and erbium.
The mineral berlinite (a type of aluminium phosphate) is named after him.
Berlin became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1844.