Hubert N. Alyea

Hubert Newcombe Alyea was an American professor of chemistry at Princeton University. His explosive chemistry demonstrations earned him the nickname "Dr. Boom". He was known for his frequent public lectures on science, which he gave around the world, including "Lucky Accidents, Great Discoveries and the Prepared Mind". His talks were described as "zany, eccentric" and "as much performance as professorship". Alyea served as inspiration for the title character in the 1961 film The Absent-Minded Professor after Walt Disney was present at one of his demonstrations.

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