Paul Fatt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Fatt
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| Born | 13 January 1924 |
| Died | 28 September 2014 (aged 90) |
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| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | University College London |
| Thesis | Neuro-muscular transmission (1950) |
| Influences | Bernard Katz John Eccles |
| Influenced | Jonathan Ashmore |
Paul Fatt (born January 13, 1924 – died September 28, 2014) was a very smart British scientist. He was a neuroscientist, which means he studied how our brains and nervous system work. He taught and did research as a professor at University College London.
Paul Fatt made a huge discovery with another famous scientist, Bernard Katz. They figured out how our nerve cells talk to each other. This important idea is called the "quantal hypothesis."
Discovering How Nerves Talk
Paul Fatt and Bernard Katz worked together on a big mystery. They wanted to know how nerve cells send messages. These messages control everything we do, like thinking or moving.
They found that nerve cells don't just send one big message. Instead, they send tiny packets of chemicals. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters. Think of them like tiny envelopes filled with instructions.
The "Quantal Hypothesis"
The "quantal hypothesis" was their amazing idea. It says that neurotransmitters are released in specific amounts, like small "quanta" or bundles. Each bundle causes a tiny electrical signal.
When many of these tiny signals happen together, they create a bigger message. This bigger message is strong enough to make a muscle move or send a thought. This discovery helped us understand how our brains and bodies communicate.
His Family Life
Paul Fatt had a full life outside of science. He was married three times. His first wife was Ione Copplestone. They had three children together: Michael, Laura, and Harriet.
Later, he married Gertrude Falk, and they had one child named Ilsa. His third wife was Carla Wartenberg. They were married from 1985 until Paul Fatt passed away in 2014.
