Thompson, Benjamin (1753-1814), was an American-born British scientist and soldier. He conducted experiments showing that heat is not a material substance, disproving what was a common belief at the time. As military commander in Bavaria, now part of Germany, Thompson worked to improve the living conditions of the poor in the city of Munich. This effort gained him the title of Count Rumford in 1791. In 1799, he founded the Royal Institution of Great Britain, an organization that sponsors science lectures and discussions. Thompson was born on March 26, 1753, in Woburn, Massachusetts. He died on Aug. 21, 1814.
