Henry Cavendish: the shy scientistHenry Cavendish was born on October 10, 1731 in Nice, France. His mother, Lady Anne Grey, was the daughter of the first Duke of Kent while his father, Lord Charles Cavendish, was the second Duke of Devonshire. Its ancestry can be traced back to many of Britain's aristocratic families. The chemist/physicist is best known for the discovery of hydrogen, "flammable air" and measuring the density of the Earth, but he also conducted research and discovered many other important scientific revolutions. Henry was described as being a very quiet and solitary individual. Many have called him eccentric and some believe Asperger's syndrome was to blame for his behavior. He was shy towards strangers and particularly towards women, so much so that he only conversed with his maids by notes. At one point, he had a back staircase added to his house to avoid his housekeeper. This shyness did not allow him to have close or personal relationships with people outside his family. He dressed in the style of the previous century, wearing an old faded velvet coat and a tricorn. When he spoke, he spoke in a squeaky voice and with difficulty. His only social outlet was his membership of the Royal Society Club, whose members dined together before their weekly meetings. Cavendish rarely missed these meetings and was well respected by his colleagues. Although admired, those who sought his intelligence were often met with a response in the form of a mumble or an empty response as Cavendish scurried off in search of a more peaceful area. Henry Cavendish began attending Cambridge University at St. Pete's College on November 24, 1749, at the age of 18. On February 23, 1753, four years later, he left the university without a diploma. After an ancient... middle of paper ... the church is now called Derby Cathedral and was honored by naming the road he lived on after him. William Cavendish, the 7th Duke of Devonshire, later a relative of Henry Cavendish, donated the Cavendish Laboratory to the University of Cambridge. Works Cited Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. Henry Cavendish. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Cavendish ; December 1, 2011Bruce Mattson. Henry Cavendish 1731-1810. History of gas chemistry. Updated September 25, 2001. Retrieved December 1, 2011 “Henry Cavendish”. Famous scientists. http://www.famousscientists.org/henry-cavendish/. Retrieved December 1, 2011chemistry.mtu.edu/~pcharles/SCIHISTORY/HenryCavendish.html. Updated October 30, 1997. Retrieved December 1, 2011Eric Weisstein. "Cavendish, Henry (1731-1810). Wolfram Research. 1996-2007 Eric W. Weisstein. http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/biography/Cavendish.html