Joseph Needham

British biochemist, historian and sinologist (1900–1995)
Person human Q318054
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Joseph Needham

Summary

Joseph Needham is a human[1]. His place of birth was London[2]. He was born on December 9, 1900[3]. He passed away in Cambridge[4]. He died on March 24, 1995[5]. He worked as a historian[6], biochemist[7], writer[8], and philosopher[9]. He ranks in the top 0.71% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (632 views/month, #7,105 of 1,000,298).[10]

Key Facts

  • Joseph Needham's place of birth was London[2].
  • Joseph Needham died in Cambridge[4].
  • Joseph Needham was born on December 9, 1900[3].
  • Joseph Needham died on March 24, 1995[5].
  • Joseph Needham's mother was Alicia Adélaide Needham[11].
  • Among Joseph Needham's spouses was Dorothy M. Needham[12].
  • Among Joseph Needham's spouses was Lu Gwei-djen[13].
  • Joseph Needham held citizenship in United Kingdom[14].
  • Joseph Needham worked as a historian[6].
  • Joseph Needham's professions included biochemist[7].
  • Joseph Needham's professions included writer[8].
  • Joseph Needham worked as a philosopher[9].
  • Joseph Needham's field of work was biochemistry[15].
  • Joseph Needham's field of work was embryology[16].
  • Joseph Needham's field of work was sinology[17].
  • Joseph Needham held the position of Master of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge[18].
  • Joseph Needham held the position of President of the Division of History of Science and Technology[19].
  • Among Joseph Needham's employers was University of Cambridge[20].
  • Joseph Needham's education included a stint at Oundle School[21].
  • Joseph Needham was educated at Gonville and Caius College[22].
  • Joseph Needham was educated at University of Cambridge[23].
  • Joseph Needham's doctoral advisor was Frederick Hopkins[24].
  • A notable student of Joseph Needham was Mikuláš Teich[25].
  • Joseph Needham received the Fellow of the Royal Society[26].
  • Joseph Needham received the John Desmond Bernal Prize[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Joseph Needham was born in London[2]. He was born on December 9, 1900[3]. His mother was Alicia Adélaide Needham[11].

Education

Educated at Oundle School[21], an independent school[28], in United Kingdom[29], founded in 1556[30]; Gonville and Caius College[22], a college of the University of Cambridge[31], in United Kingdom[32], founded in 1348[33]; and University of Cambridge[23], a collegiate university[34], in United Kingdom[35], founded in 1209[36], headquartered in Cambridge[37]. Joseph Needham's doctoral advisor was Frederick Hopkins[24].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include historian[6], biochemist[7], writer[8], and philosopher[9]. Fields of work include biochemistry[15], an interdisciplinary science[38]; embryology[16], a branch of biology[39]; and sinology[17], an academic discipline[40]. Joseph Needham was employed by University of Cambridge[20]. Positions held include Master of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge[18] and President of the Division of History of Science and Technology[19]. A notable student of him was Mikuláš Teich[25].

Recognition

Awards received include Fellow of the Royal Society[26], a fellowship award[41], in United Kingdom[42]; John Desmond Bernal Prize[27], an award[43]; George Sarton Medal[44], an award[45], in United States[46], founded in 1955[47]; Dexter Award[48], a science award[49], in United States[50], founded in 1956[51]; Fellow of the British Academy[52], a fellowship award[53], in United Kingdom[54]; and honorary doctor of the University of Hong Kong[55], an award[56], in People's Republic of China[57].

Personal Life

Spouses include Dorothy M. Needham[12], a biologist[58], 1896–1987[59], of United Kingdom[60], awarded the Fellow of the Royal Society[61] and Lu Gwei-djen[13], a biochemist[62], 1904–1991[63], of People's Republic of China[64], specialised in clinical nutrition[65].

Death and Burial

Joseph Needham died on March 24, 1995[5]. He passed away in Cambridge[4]. The cause of death was Parkinson's disease[66].

Works and Contributions

Things named for Joseph Needham include Needham Research Institute[67], a research institute[68], in United Kingdom[69].

Why It Matters

Joseph Needham ranks in the top 0.71% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (632 views/month, #7,105 of 1,000,298).[10] He has Wikipedia articles in 26 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[70] He is known by 24 alternative names across languages and contexts.[71]

Works attributed to him include Science and Civilisation in China[72], a written work[73]. Entities named for him include Needham Research Institute[67], a research institute[68], in United Kingdom[69].

FAQs

Where was Joseph Needham born?

Joseph Needham's place of birth was London[2].

Where did Joseph Needham die?

Joseph Needham passed away in Cambridge[4].

Who were Joseph Needham's parents?

Joseph Needham's mother was Alicia Adélaide Needham[11].

Who was Joseph Needham married to?

Joseph Needham's spouses include Dorothy M. Needham[12] and Lu Gwei-djen[13].

What did Joseph Needham do for work?

Joseph Needham worked as historian[6], biochemist[7], writer[8], and philosopher[9].

Where did Joseph Needham go to school?

Joseph Needham was educated at Oundle School[21], Gonville and Caius College[22], and University of Cambridge[23].

What awards did Joseph Needham receive?

Honors received include Fellow of the Royal Society[26], John Desmond Bernal Prize[27], George Sarton Medal[44], and Dexter Award[48].

References

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

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] . wikidata.org.
  2. [4] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  3. [11] . wikidata.org.
  4. [12] . wikidata.org.
  5. [13] . wikidata.org.
  6. [14] . LIBRIS. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  7. [18] . wikidata.org.
  8. [19] . dhstweb.org. dhstweb.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  9. [21] . wikidata.org.
  10. [22] . wikidata.org.
  11. [23] . wikidata.org.
  12. [15] . wikidata.org.
  13. [16] . wikidata.org.
  14. [17] . wikidata.org.
  15. [6] . wikidata.org.
  16. [7] . wikidata.org.
  17. [8] . wikidata.org.
  18. [9] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  19. [20] . wikidata.org.
  20. [26] . wikidata.org.
  21. [27] . wikidata.org.
  22. [44] . wikidata.org.
  23. [48] . wikidata.org.
  24. [52] . wikidata.org.
  25. [55] . wikidata.org.
  26. [24] . wikidata.org.
  27. [66] . wikidata.org.
  28. [3] . BnF authorities. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  29. [5] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  30. [25] . wikidata.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [72] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [67] . wikidata.org. → on this site

Inline context (facts about related entities)

  1. [58] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [59] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [60] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [61] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [62] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [63] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  7. [64] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  8. [65] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  9. [28] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  10. [29] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [30] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [31] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  13. [32] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  14. [33] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  15. [34] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  16. [35] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  17. [36] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  18. [37] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  19. [38] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  20. [39] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  21. [40] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  22. [41] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  23. [42] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  24. [43] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  25. [45] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  26. [46] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  27. [47] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  28. [49] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  29. [50] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  30. [51] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  31. [53] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  32. [54] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  33. [56] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  34. [57] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  35. [73] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  36. [68] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  37. [69] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site

Class ancestry

  1. [1] . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [10] . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [70] . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [71] . Wikidata aliases. wikidata.org.

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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). Joseph Needham. Retrieved April 11, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/joseph-needham
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BibTeX @misc{4ortxyz_joseph-needham_2026, author = {{4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph}}, title = {{Joseph Needham}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://4ort.xyz/entity/joseph-needham}, note = {Accessed: 2026-04-11}}
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Edit History

Rolling log of changes to this entity's Wikidata record. Values shown reflect the current state of each edited property — follow the history link to see the precise diff for any edit.

  1. 1d ago · Epìdosis · 2026-05-20 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Occupation historian, biochemist, writer +1
    "/* wbeditentity-update:0| */ QuickStatements 3.0 [[:toollabs:qs-dev/batch/32084|batch #32084]]: import P21 and P106 from GND (26)"
  2. 14d ago · Bargioni · 2026-05-07 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Image needs reharvest
    Image purged at
    Image unavailable reason
    Image last checked license
    + 1 other property edited (see Wikidata diff for full list)
    "/* wbeditentity-update:0| */ QuickStatements 3.0 [[:toollabs:qs-dev/batch/30468|batch #30468]]: add P1810 to P5739 2/3"
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