James Gray (zoologist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir James Gray
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| Born | 14 October 1891 Wood Green, London, England
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| Died | 14 December 1975 (aged 84) Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England
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| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Cytology |
Sir James Gray (born October 14, 1891, died December 14, 1975) was a famous British scientist. He was a zoologist, which means he studied animals. He helped create the field of cytology, which is the study of cells. Cells are the tiny building blocks of all living things. Gray also studied how animals move, which is called animal locomotion. He is well-known for something called Gray's Paradox, which is about how dolphins swim so fast.
Life and Work
James Gray was born in London, England. He went to King's College, Cambridge, and finished his studies in 1913. After serving in World War I, he returned to King's College in 1919.
From 1937 to 1954, he was a Professor of Zoology at Cambridge University. He also led the Marine Biological Association from 1945 to 1955. This group studies sea life.
Studying Animal Movement
Sir James Gray spent a lot of time studying how animals move. He was a pioneer in what is called experimental zoology. This means he did experiments to understand how animals' bodies work when they move.
One of his most famous ideas is called Gray's Paradox. This paradox is about dolphins. Scientists wondered how dolphins could swim so fast with the amount of muscle they have. Gray's work helped explain this amazing ability.
Awards and Honours
Sir James Gray received many important awards for his scientific work. In 1939, he gave a special talk called the Croonian Lecture to the Royal Society. The Royal Society is a very old and respected group of scientists.
He received the Royal Medal from the Royal Society in 1948. This is a very high honour for scientists. In 1951, he gave the famous Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. These lectures are for young people and explain science in a fun way. His lectures were titled How Animals Move.
He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1946. In 1954, he was knighted, which means he was given the title "Sir." He also became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1931. This shows how important his contributions to science were.
