1870-1960

French chemist and physicist known for his invention of the neon light. Vapor-tube lamps, popular at the time, produced light by striking an arc between electrodes in a tube containing certain gases. He discovered that a vapor tube filled with neon gas produces a bright orangered light when put under low pressure. By adding other substances to the tube, additional colors could be produced. By the 1920s neon lighting became a popular form of advertising.