Willard Libby

American physical chemist
Person human Q190486
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Willard Libby

Summary

Willard Libby is a human[1]. Born in Grand Valley[2], he… he was born on December 17, 1908[3]. He died in Los Angeles[4]. He died on September 8, 1980[5]. He worked as a chemist[6] and university teacher[7]. He ranks in the top 0.72% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (167 views/month, #7,198 of 1,000,298).[8]

Key Facts

  • Willard Libby was born in Grand Valley[2].
  • Willard Libby passed away in Los Angeles[4].
  • Willard Libby was born on December 17, 1908[3].
  • Willard Libby died on September 8, 1980[5].
  • Willard Libby was married to Leona Woods[9].
  • Willard Libby held citizenship in United States[10].
  • Willard Libby worked as a chemist[6].
  • Willard Libby's professions included university teacher[7].
  • Willard Libby's field of work was physical chemistry[11].
  • Among Willard Libby's employers was University of California, Los Angeles[12].
  • Willard Libby was employed by University of California, Berkeley[13].
  • Willard Libby was employed by University of Chicago[14].
  • Willard Libby was educated at University of California, Berkeley[15].
  • Willard Libby was educated at Princeton University[16].
  • Willard Libby was educated at Analy High School[17].
  • Willard Libby's doctoral advisor was Wendell Mitchell Latimer[18].
  • Willard Libby received the Guggenheim Fellowship[19].
  • Willard Libby received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry[20].
  • Willard Libby received the Arthur L. Day Medal[21].
  • Willard Libby received the Elliott Cresson Medal[22].
  • Willard Libby received the Willard Gibbs Award[23].
  • Willard Libby received the Albert Einstein Award[24].
  • Willard Libby was a member of Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences[25].
  • Willard Libby was a member of Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities[26].
  • Willard Libby was a member of American Academy of Arts and Sciences[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Willard Libby was born in Grand Valley[2]. He was born on December 17, 1908[3].

Education

Educated at University of California, Berkeley[15], a public research university[28], in United States[29], founded in 1868[30], headquartered in Berkeley[31]; Princeton University[16], a private university[32], in United States[33], founded in 1746[34], headquartered in Princeton[35]; and Analy High School[17], a high school[36], in United States[37], founded in 1908[38]. Willard Libby's doctoral advisor was Wendell Mitchell Latimer[18].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include chemist[6] and university teacher[7]. Willard Libby's field of work was physical chemistry[11]. Employers include University of California, Los Angeles[12], a public research university[39], in United States[40], founded in 1919[41], headquartered in Los Angeles[42]; University of California, Berkeley[13], a public research university[43], in United States[44], founded in 1868[45], headquartered in Berkeley[46]; and University of Chicago[14], a private university[47], in United States[48], founded in 1890[49], headquartered in Chicago[50]. Doctoral students include F. Sherwood Rowland[51] and Maurice Sanford Fox[52].

Recognition

Awards received include Guggenheim Fellowship[19], a fellowship grant[53], in United States[54], founded in 1925[55]; Nobel Prize in Chemistry[20], a chemistry award[56], in Sweden[57], founded in 1901[58]; Arthur L. Day Medal[21], a science award[59], in United States[60], founded in 1948[61]; Elliott Cresson Medal[22], an award[62], in United States[63], founded in 1875[64]; Willard Gibbs Award[23], a chemistry award[65], in United States[66], founded in 1911[67]; and Albert Einstein Award[24], a science award[68], in United States[69], founded in 1951[70].

Personal Life

Among Willard Libby's spouses was Leona Woods[9].

Death and Burial

Willard Libby died on September 8, 1980[5]. He died in Los Angeles[4].

Works and Contributions

Things named for Willard Libby include 5672 Libby[71], an asteroid[72].

Why It Matters

Willard Libby ranks in the top 0.72% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (167 views/month, #7,198 of 1,000,298).[8] He has Wikipedia articles in 29 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[73] He is known by 42 alternative names across languages and contexts.[74]

He is credited with the discovery of radiocarbon dating[75], a radiometric dating[76]. Entities named for him include 5672 Libby[71], an asteroid[72].

His notable doctoral advisees include F. Sherwood Rowland[77], a chemist[78], 1927–2012[79], of United States[80], awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry[81], specialised in chemistry[82] and Maurice Sanford Fox[83], a geneticist[84], 1924–2020[85], of United States[86], awarded the Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences[87].

FAQs

Where was Willard Libby born?

Willard Libby's place of birth was Grand Valley[2].

Where did Willard Libby die?

Willard Libby passed away in Los Angeles[4].

Who was Willard Libby married to?

Willard Libby's spouses include Leona Woods[9].

What did Willard Libby do for work?

Willard Libby worked as chemist[6] and university teacher[7].

Where did Willard Libby go to school?

Willard Libby was educated at University of California, Berkeley[15], Princeton University[16], and Analy High School[17].

What awards did Willard Libby receive?

Honors received include Guggenheim Fellowship[19], Nobel Prize in Chemistry[20], Arthur L. Day Medal[21], and Elliott Cresson Medal[22].

What did Willard Libby discover?

Willard Libby is credited as discoverer of radiocarbon dating[75].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] . Guggenheim Fellows database. wikidata.org.
  2. [4] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  3. [9] . wikidata.org.
  4. [10] . wikidata.org.
  5. [15] . Guggenheim Fellows database. wikidata.org.
  6. [16] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  7. [17] . wikidata.org.
  8. [11] . wikidata.org.
  9. [6] . wikidata.org.
  10. [7] . wikidata.org.
  11. [12] . wikidata.org.
  12. [13] . Guggenheim Fellows database. wikidata.org.
  13. [14] . wikidata.org.
  14. [19] . Guggenheim Fellows database. wikidata.org.
  15. [20] . nobelprize.org. Retrieved . nobelprize.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  16. [21] . Geological Society of America. wikidata.org.
  17. [22] . fi.edu. fi.edu. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  18. [23] . chicagoacs.org. chicagoacs.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  19. [24] . wikidata.org.
  20. [18] . wikidata.org.
  21. [51] . wikidata.org.
  22. [52] . wikidata.org.
  23. [25] . wikidata.org.
  24. [26] . wikidata.org.
  25. [27] . wikidata.org.
  26. [3] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  27. [5] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [75] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [77] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [83] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [71] . wikidata.org. → on this site

Inline context (facts about related entities)

  1. [28] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [29] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [30] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [31] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [32] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [33] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  7. [34] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  8. [35] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  9. [36] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  10. [37] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [38] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [39] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  13. [40] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  14. [41] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  15. [42] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  16. [43] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  17. [44] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  18. [45] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  19. [46] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  20. [47] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  21. [48] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  22. [49] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  23. [50] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  24. [53] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  25. [54] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  26. [55] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  27. [56] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  28. [57] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  29. [58] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  30. [59] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  31. [60] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  32. [61] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  33. [62] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  34. [63] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  35. [64] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  36. [65] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  37. [66] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  38. [67] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  39. [68] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  40. [69] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  41. [70] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  42. [76] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  43. [78] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  44. [79] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  45. [80] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  46. [81] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  47. [82] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  48. [84] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  49. [85] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  50. [86] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  51. [87] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  52. [72] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site

Class ancestry

  1. [1] . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [8] . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [73] . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [74] . Wikidata aliases. wikidata.org.

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Use these citations when quoting this entity in research, articles, AI prompts, or wherever provenance matters. We aggregate Wikidata + Wikipedia + authoritative open-data sources; the stitched, scored, cross-referenced view is what 4ort.xyz contributes.

APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). Willard Libby. Retrieved April 19, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/willard-libby
MLA “Willard Libby.” 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph, 4ort.xyz, 19 Apr. 2026, https://4ort.xyz/entity/willard-libby.
BibTeX @misc{4ortxyz_willard-libby_2026, author = {{4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph}}, title = {{Willard Libby}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://4ort.xyz/entity/willard-libby}, note = {Accessed: 2026-04-19}}
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