Born: 8 February 1834 · Died: 2 February 1907 · Age at death: 72
How old was Dmitri Mendeleev when he died?
Dmitri Mendeleev died aged 72. He was born on 8 February 1834 and died on 2 February 1907.
Russian chemist who created the periodic table of elements and correctly predicted the properties of elements not yet discovered
Did you know?He claimed that the structure of the periodic table came to him in a dream after he had been working on it for days.
Quick facts
Date of birth8 February 1834
Date of death2 February 1907
Age at death72
Cause of deathPneumonia
NationalityRussian
BirthplaceTobolsk, Russia
Occupationchemist, physicist, university teacher
Editor's Take:
Mendeleev's periodic table is one of the most recognisable images in all of science. He arranged the known chemical elements by their properties and weight, and noticed that they fell into repeating patterns. His boldest move was to leave gaps for elements that had not yet been discovered, and to predict their properties. When gallium and germanium were later found, they matched his predictions remarkably well, convincing scientists that his system was right. Element number 101, mendelevium, is named in his honour.
Key Milestones
1869: Presents his periodic table of the elements
1871: Predicts the properties of undiscovered elements
1875: Gallium is found, confirming one of his predictions
1893: Becomes director of Russia's Bureau of Weights and Measures
Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev ( MEN-dəl-AY-əf; 8 February 1834 – 2 February 1907) was a Russian chemist known for formulating the periodic law and creating a version of the periodic table of elements.
