10 October 1896 - Birth of Lester Germer, he and Clinton Davisson demonstrate the wave nature of the electron

Lester Halbert Germer was born in Chicago, Illinois, on 10 October 1896. He graduated from Cornell University with a degree in physical science in 1918. He later served as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force during World War I. After the war, Germer joined the U.S. Army Laboratories in the United States Air Force.

After the war, Germer joined Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, where he worked with Davisson, an experienced physicist who had worked on the development of radio. He remained there until 1956.

In 1927, Germer and Davisson performed an experiment in which they fired a beam of electrons at a nickel crystal. They observed that the electrons diffracted, which meant that they had wave-like properties. This demonstrated the veracity of de Broglie's hypothesis and provided an experimental foundation for nascent quantum physics. This experiment was a landmark in physics, as it provided the first experimental evidence for the wave-particle duality of matter. It was also important for the development of the electron microscope, which uses electrons instead of light to see small things.

In addition to his work in electron diffraction, for which he received the Elliott Cresson Medal in 1931, Germer also investigated thermionics, metal erosion, and contact physics. In addition, he was a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

At the age of 49, Germer began a parallel career as a rock climber. He remained active in the sport until his death on 3 October 1971 from a heart attack while leading a climb on Shawangunk Ridgepor.