# Heike Kamerlingh Onnes

_Dutch physicist, Nobel prize winner (1853-1926)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/heike-kamerlingh-onnes
Last updated: 2026-11-04

> Heike Kamerlingh Onnes was a Dutch experimental physicist who became the first to liquefy helium, cooling it to near 1.5 kelvin (K). For this work, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1913.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 21 September 1853 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q62891#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Groningen ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q62891#P19))
- **Died:** 21 February 1926 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q62891#P570))
- **Place of death:** Leiden ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q62891#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Kingdom of the Netherlands ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q62891#P27))
- **Occupation:** physicist; inventor; university teacher; scientist ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q62891#P106))
- **Education:** Heidelberg University; University of Groningen ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q62891#P69))
- **Spouse:** Maria Adriana Wilhelmina Elisabeth Bijleveld ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q62891#P26))
- **Positions held:** rector magnificus of Leiden University (1903–1904) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q62891#P39))
- **Awards:** Nobel Prize in Physics; Rumford Medal; Matteucci Medal; Franklin Medal; Foreign Member of the Royal Society ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q62891#P166))

## Questions

**When was Heike Kamerlingh Onnes born?**  
Heike Kamerlingh Onnes was born on 21 September 1853 in Groningen.

**What positions has Heike Kamerlingh Onnes held?**  
Positions held by Heike Kamerlingh Onnes include: rector magnificus of Leiden University (1903–1904).

**Where did Heike Kamerlingh Onnes study?**  
Heike Kamerlingh Onnes was educated at Heidelberg University, University of Groningen.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Heike Kamerlingh Onnes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heike_Kamerlingh_Onnes) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q62891](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q62891) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Grab Heike Kamerlingh Onnes.jpg by Harvey Kneeslapper (CC BY-SA 4.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Grab_Heike_Kamerlingh_Onnes.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Heike Kamerlingh Onnes, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Grab Heike Kamerlingh Onnes.jpg — Harvey Kneeslapper, CC BY-SA 4.0.

## Cite this page

"Heike Kamerlingh Onnes". DigiNepal. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/heike-kamerlingh-onnes. Retrieved 6 November 2026.