John Desmond Bernal

Irish scientist (1901-1971)
Person human Q168362

Facts

33 properties
Instance of
human
Sex or gender
male[52]
Date of birth
May 10, 1901
Date of death
September 15, 1971
Place of birth
Nenagh
Place of death
Camden Town, London[10]
Country of citizenship
United Kingdom[12]
Religion or worldview
atheism[51]
Member of political party
Communist Party of Great Britain[53]
Doctoral advisor
William Henry Bragg[30]
Languages spoken, written or signed
English
Copyright status as a creator
copyrights on works have expired
Family name
Bernal[61]
Show all 33 facts +9
Given name
John[62]
Military, police or special rank
lieutenant[57]
Name in native language
John Desmond Bernal
P14541
3t27cl
Participated in conflict
World War II[60]
Professorship
professor
🏷️ Also known as
en Desmond Bernal en John Desmond Bernal en John Bernal en J. D. Bernal ar جون ديزموند برنال cs Džon Desmond Bernal de John-Desmond-Bernal-Preis de John D. Bernal de John Bernal el Τζον Ντέσμοντ Μπέρναλ es J. D. Bernal es J D Bernal es J D. Bernal fa جان برنال fa جان دزموند برنال fa جی دی برنال fi John Desmond Bernal fr John D. Bernal he ג'ון דזמונד ברנל he ג'ון ברנאל
🔖 Identifiers · 107
VIAF cluster ID
24729169
Library of Congress authority ID
n50007094
GND ID
118953958
AbART person ID
60112
Academic Tree ID
52007
Archives at Yale agent ID
people/80770
Artists of the World ID
30026295
BIBSYS ID
90405148
Bibliothèque nationale de France ID
12386771h
Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society ID
1980.0002
Show all 107 identifiers +95
Brockhaus Enzyklopädie online ID
bernal-john-desmond
CONOR.SI ID
116999779
Canadiana Name Authority ID
ncf11299146
CiNii Research ID
1140563741774495616
Cyprus University of Technology ID
90134
DDB person (GND) ID
118953958
Databazeknih.cz author ID
57440
Deutsche Biographie (GND) ID
118953958
Dictionary of Irish Biography ID
000624
EMBO member ID
john-desmond-bernal
Enciclopedia Galega Universal ID
85815
Encyclopedia of China (Third Edition) ID
136805, 116861
Encyclopedia of Marxism ID
people/b/e.htm#bernal-jd
Encyclopedia of Science Fiction ID
bernal_j_d
Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID
biography/John-Desmond-Bernal
FAST ID
1926
FID performing arts ID
agent/gnd_118953958
Freebase ID
/m/038xm7
Geni.com profile ID
6000000058738350968
Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID
john-desmond-bernal
Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana ID (former scheme)
0223255
Great Norwegian Encyclopedia ID
John_Desmond_Bernal
Great Russian Encyclopedia Online ID (2017)
1860891
Great Russian Encyclopedia portal ID
bernal-dzhon-desmond-608358
ISFDB author ID
179908
IdRef ID
032937105
IxTheo authority ID
079732887
KBR person ID
13957907
Kalliope-Verbund (GND) ID
118953958
Libraries Australia ID
35017875
Libris-URI
sq466w4b0jzzhq4
Mathematics Genealogy Project ID
158583
Medvik ID
ola2002152826
Munzinger person ID
00000018933
Museo Galileo authority ID
5647
NACSIS-CAT author ID
DA0040257X
NDL Authority ID
00433084
NL CR AUT ID
ola2002152826
NLA Trove people ID
792392
NSK (VIAF) ID
000166978
NUKAT ID
n96106097
National Library of Greece ID
213996
National Library of Israel J9U ID
987007462927905171
National Library of Korea ID
KAC201429272
National Library of Latvia ID
000296800
National Library of Lithuania ID
LNB:V*394315;=BL
National Library of Poland MMS ID
9810637489805606
National Library of Portugal ID
13123
National Library of Spain SpMaBN ID (BNE v1.0)
XX855058
National Portrait Gallery (London) person ID
mp05080
National Virtual Library of India ID
784k (151k–784k, n=5)
Nationale Thesaurus voor Auteursnamen ID
068761694
Nobel Prize People Nomination ID
929
Notable Names Database ID
265/000179725
Online Books Page author ID
Bernal, J. D. (John Desmond), 1901-1971
Online PWN Encyclopedia ID
3876395
Open Library ID
OL5786268A, OL2040721A
Open Plaques subject ID
654
Our Campaigns candidate ID
578349
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography ID
30813
Oxford Reference overview ID
20110803095500984
PM20 folder ID
pe/001574
PUG authority ID
95978
Parsifal cluster ID
246455
Past Fellow of the Royal Society ID
NA8040
Polish Academy of Sciences ID
BERNAL, John Desmond
Pontificia Università della Santa Croce ID
7726
RERO ID (legacy)
A002996041
Ricorso author ID
b/Bernal_JD/life
Russian Academy of Sciences person ID
49383
SBN author ID
SGEV008732
SELIBR ID
178030
SHARE Catalogue author ID
207509
SNAC ARK ID
w6ww7kjq
Science Museum people ID
cp84438
The Black Book ID
2707
UK National Archives ID
F61820
UOM ID
67534
University of Barcelona authority ID
981058511731706706
University of Barcelona authority ID (former scheme)
a1006095
Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija ID
john-desmond-bernal
Wellcome Collection concept ID
ebkpnewe
WikiTree person ID
Bernal-572
WorldCat Entities ID
E39PBJv8KqG4KKVDBxr8yFHKVC
ZOBODAT person ID
18680

Report an error or request removal Lineage (PROV-JSON)

🔗 Connections
Occupation 10
Member of 9
Award received 7
Doctoral students 5
Field of work 5
Named after 5
Student 4
Doctoral student 3
Educated at 3
Employer 3
Students 3
Place of death 2
Chaired by 1
Child 1
Children (paternal) 1
Country of citizenship 1
Described by source 1
Doctoral advisor 1
Doctoral advisors 1
Given name 1
Influenced 1
Instance of 1
Languages spoken, written or signed 1
Member of political party 1
Military, police or special rank 1
Nominated for 1
Participated in conflict 1
Place of birth 1
Professorship 1
Religion or worldview 1
Sex or gender 1
Student of 1
Teachers 1
Unmarried partner 1
← Discoverer or inventor 1
← Unmarried partner 1
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Summary

John Desmond Bernal was born on May 10, 1901[1], in Nenagh[2]. He died on September 15, 1971[3], in Camden Town[4]. He worked as a physicist[5], philosopher[6], inventor[7], university teacher[8], and philosopher of science[9].

Body

Works and Contributions

Things named for John Desmond Bernal include Bernal sphere[63], John Desmond Bernal Prize[64], Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Lecture[65], Bernal Islands[66], and Bernal Lecture[67].

Why It Matters

He has been cited as an influence by Solly Zuckerman, Baron Zuckerman[68], a politician[69], 1904–1993[70], of United Kingdom[71], awarded the Fellow of the Royal Society[72], specialised in zoology[73].

He is credited with the discovery of Bernal sphere[74], a vehicle model[75]. Entities named for him include Bernal sphere[63], John Desmond Bernal Prize[64], Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Lecture[65], Bernal Islands[66], and Bernal Lecture[67].

His notable doctoral advisees include Dorothy Hodgkin[76], a chemist[77], 1910–1994[78], of United Kingdom[79], awarded the Fellow of the Royal Society[80], specialised in X-ray crystallography[81]; Max Perutz[82], a molecular biologist[83], 1914–2002[84], of United Kingdom[85], awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire[86], specialised in biochemistry[87]; Alan Lindsay Mackay[88]; Helen Megaw[89]; and Khudu Mammadov[90].

FAQs

Where was John Desmond Bernal born?

John Desmond Bernal was born in Nenagh[2].

Where did John Desmond Bernal die?

John Desmond Bernal passed away in Camden Town[4].

What did John Desmond Bernal do for work?

John Desmond Bernal worked as a physicist[5], philosopher[6], inventor[7], university teacher[8], and philosopher of science[9].

Where did John Desmond Bernal go to school?

John Desmond Bernal was educated at Emmanuel College[26], Bedford School[27], University of Cambridge[28], and Royal Institution[29].

What awards did John Desmond Bernal receive?

Honors received include Fellow of the Royal Society[35], Royal Medal[36], Honorary doctor of the Humboldt University of Berlin[37], and International Stalin Prize for Peace[38].

Who did John Desmond Bernal influence?

John Desmond Bernal has been cited as an influence by Solly Zuckerman, Baron Zuckerman[68].

What did John Desmond Bernal discover?

John Desmond Bernal is credited as discoverer of Bernal sphere[74].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] ↑ . Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1969–1978). Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  2. [4] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  3. [10] ↑ . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  4. [52] ↑ . BnF authorities. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  5. [12] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  6. [11] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  7. [26] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  8. [27] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  9. [28] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  10. [29] ↑ . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  11. [18] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  12. [19] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  13. [20] ↑ . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  14. [21] ↑ . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  15. [22] ↑ . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  16. [53] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  17. [5] ↑ . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  18. [6] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  19. [7] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  20. [8] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  21. [9] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  22. [13] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  23. [14] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  24. [15] ↑ . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  25. [16] ↑ . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  26. [17] ↑ . Czech National Authority Database. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  27. [23] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  28. [24] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  29. [25] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  30. [51] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  31. [35] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  32. [36] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  33. [37] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  34. [38] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  35. [39] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  36. [40] ↑ . scientificlib.com. scientificlib.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  37. [41] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  38. [30] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  39. [54] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  40. [55] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  41. [56] ↑ . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.
  42. [57] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  43. [58] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  44. [59] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  45. [42] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  46. [43] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  47. [44] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  48. [45] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  49. [46] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  50. [47] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  51. [48] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  52. [49] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  53. [50] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  54. [1] ↑ . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  55. [3] ↑ . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  56. [60] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  57. [61] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  58. [62] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  59. [31] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  60. [32] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  61. [33] ↑ . wikidata.org.
  62. [34] ↑ . Mathematics Genealogy Project. wikidata.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [68] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [74] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [76] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [82] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [88] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [89] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  7. [90] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  8. [63] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  9. [64] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  10. [65] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [66] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [67] ↑ . wikidata.org. → on this site

Inline context (facts about related entities)

  1. [69] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [70] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [71] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [72] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [73] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [75] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  7. [77] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  8. [78] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  9. [79] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  10. [80] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [81] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [83] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  13. [84] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  14. [85] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  15. [86] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  16. [87] ↑ . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site

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Use these citations when quoting this entity in research, articles, AI prompts, or wherever provenance matters. We aggregate Wikidata + Wikipedia + authoritative open-data sources; the stitched, scored, cross-referenced view is what 4ort.xyz contributes.

APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). John Desmond Bernal. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/john-desmond-bernal
MLA “John Desmond Bernal.” 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph, 4ort.xyz, 5 Nov. 2026, https://4ort.xyz/entity/john-desmond-bernal.
BibTeX @misc{4ortxyz_john-desmond-bernal_2026, author = {{4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph}}, title = {{John Desmond Bernal}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://4ort.xyz/entity/john-desmond-bernal}, note = {Accessed: 2026-11-05}}
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  1. 19d ago · OKA bot bot · 2026-10-17 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Claims rich → —
    "/* wbeditentity-statements-multiple-properties-update:0||4 */ source for place of birth, source for place of death, source for date of birth, source for date of death from Store norske leksikon ([[Wik"
  2. 22d ago · AntiDerangedKhanTengriAction · 2026-10-14 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Wikipedia languages → ['ar', 'arz', 'az', 'azb', 'bg', 'bn', 'ca', 'commons', 'cs', 'de', 'en', 'es',
    Open Library ID → OL5786268A, OL2040721A
    Sitelink count → 47
    Claims rich → —
    "/* wbcreateclaim-create:1| */ Open Library ID: OL2040721A, [[:toollabs:quickstatements/#/batch/290734|batch #290734]]"
  3. 19w ago · Yirba · 2026-06-19 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    P14541 → 3t27cl
    Copyright status as a creator → copyrights on works have expired
    "/* wbeditentity-update:0| */ QuickStatements 3.0 [[:toollabs:qs-dev/batch/37385|batch #37385]]: Encyclopedia of China (Third Edition) ID (2026) (P14541)"
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