Curated playlist
Leiden University alumni
- RembrandtThe Night Watch, Rembrandt's most famous painting, is not set at night. Its darkness comes from aging.
- Wander Johannes de HaasWander Johannes de Haas started out studying to be a paralegal. He later gave his name to three physics effects.
- René DescartesRené Descartes had three dreams in a heated room in 1619. He believed they revealed a new philosophy to him.
- Joris BorghoutsAround 2000, budget cuts threatened Leiden University's Egyptology department. Its head, Joris Borghouts, pushed back.
- Geertruida de Haas-LorentzIn 1925, Geertruida de Haas-Lorentz predicted the London penetration depth in superconductors.
- Hendrik LorentzWhen Hendrik Lorentz was buried in 1928, the Dutch phone network fell silent. It stayed quiet for three minutes.
- Nout WellinkIn 2010, Financial News named Nout Wellink the most influential person in global bank oversight.
- Christiaan HuygensChristiaan Huygens spotted Saturn's largest moon, Titan, in 1655. A probe that landed there in 2005 bears his name.
- Pieter GeylDutch historian Pieter Geyl lectured on Napoleon in 1940 and was taken hostage within weeks.
- André WinkReviewers called André Wink's history of Islam in India monumental and seriously flawed.