František Běhounek - Famous Czech Writer

From 1930s František Běhounek propagated science in literarure. He wrote adventurous prose, science - fiction novels and science works from sphere of radiology and atomic physics.

František Běhounek was born on 28th October 1898 in Prague. When he was young he was attracted by Julius Verne’s novels. In Prague he attended  secondary school.  In 1916 he enrolled at Charles University where he studied mathematics and physics. He finished his studies in 1920. Then he studied at Mrs Marie Curie - Sklodowská in Paris for two years.

In 1926 she recommended him as a member of expedition to the Arctic with Amundsen, Ellsworth and Nobile. There he measured radioactivity of atmosphere. He became also a member of the second expedition to the Arctic with Umberto Nobile in 1928. But Nobile’s dirigible Italia wrecked and the expedition had to live on an ice floe for several weeks. They were rescued by Russian ice-breaker Krasin.

After a year he was habilitated for a senior lecturer for radioactivity studies. From 1933 to 1945 he was a director of State Radiologic Institution in Prague. After The Second World War he worked in Institution of nuclear physics of Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. He was a member of committee of UNO for research of atomic heat. In 1960 he became academician of Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. He died in Karlovy Vary on 1st January 1973.

His writings:   

His first book was named Trosečníci na kře ledové 1928. There he depicted experience of general Nobile’s expedition to the Arctic that lived several  weeks on an ice floe. This documentary story was translated to many languages.

In books Tajemství polárního moře 1942, Ledovou stopou 1946, Mlha nad Atlantikem 1969, V říši věčného ledu a sněhu 1936, Robinzoni z Kronborgu 1944, V horách Větrné řeky 1947 there he depicted stories of boys or men who lived in inhospitable northern countries and who were thrown upon their bravery, tenacity, friendship, self-sacrifice and knowledge of natural sciences .
Books Ostrov draků 1958 a Robinzon Želvích ostrovů 1965  resemble the above stories but these stories are located at Pacific Ocean. In novel Fregata pluje kolem světa 1942 there was main hero Czech cadet who travelled with warship Novara in years 1857 - 1859.

Life of travellers, survivors and discoverers he depicted in books Lidé a póly, Kniha Robinzonů, Lovci paprsků. After he read diary of our African traveller Emil Holub he rewrote his story in book Na sever od Zambezi 1946.
In books Dům zelených přízraků 1969, Rokle u Rjukanu 1966 there he employed his knowledge about radioactivity. Scientific presumptions and logical deduction it was base to his science - fiction novels Akce L, Robinzoni vesmíru, Projekt Scavenger.

He wrote biography of Pierre Curie and Fréderic Joliot - Curie.
Of course he wrote popular - scientific works for example: Od atomu k vesmíru 1939,  Země,planeta neznámá 1941, Atom děsí svět 1947, Atomy dnes a zítra 1962, Atomy vládnou  and scientific works from sphere of radiology. His works and books were translated by H.Roemp and E.Larsen.

I chose František Běhounek becouse I read some his book when I was younger. I think he is interesting writer. I like science - fiction novels with interesting technical base or idea.

Rokle u Rjukanu: It’s trilling story from The Second World War. In Germany Nazists want to abuse hard water to make nuclear bombs. And group of soldiers want to stop them.