Hoyle, Fred (1915-1999)
English astronomer
A prolific and talented author in both science fact and fiction, Fred Hoyle is best known for publicizing the controversial steady state theory of the creation of the universe. Hoyle also helped develop radar and advance the understanding of the nuclear processes that power the stars. He has taught at both Cambridge and Cornell universities, received numerous awards and honors, and was knighted in 1972.
Born in Bingley, Yorkshire, England, Hoyle was the son of Benjamin Hoyle and Mabel (Picard) Hoyle. He attended Bingley Grammar School and went on to Emmanuel College at Cambridge, where he studied mathematics and astronomy, receiving his master of arts degree in 1939. On December 28, 1939, Hoyle married Barbara Clark and the couple eventually had two children.
During World War II, Hoyle served in the Admiralty at London, where he helped the British Navy develop radar (radio detection and ranging) technology. The Royal Air Force's victory in the Battle of Britain has been credited to the navy's improvement of radar during this period. After the war, numerous radar dishes were acquired by fledgling radio astronomers and converted into radio telescopes. These amateurs' discoveries in the 1960s ultimately helped to refute the theories Hoyle developed in the 1940s and 1950s.
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