Piccard, Jean Felix (1884–1963)

Swiss-born aeronautical engineer and organic chemist. Known for his research with high-altitude balloons, he also wrote over 70 papers, translated Einstein's Physics and Reality into English (1936), and helped develop astronauts' pressurized suits for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

He was born in Basel, Switzerland, the twin brother of the scientist Auguste Piccard. Emigrating to the USA to teach chemistry at the University of Chicago (1916), he later joined the University of Minnesota's Department of Aeronautical Engineering (1936–52).