The Resume

(November 29, 1803-March 17, 1853)
Born in Salzburg, Austria
Mathematician and physicist
Namesake for the Doppler Effect: the change in frequency of a wave when the wave source moves relative to an observer
Described in 'On the Colored Light of the Binary Stars' (1842)
Example of the Doppler Effect: when a vehicle with a siren passes an observer, the siren is higher in pitch as the vehicle approaches, lower in pitch as it recedes

Why he might be annoying:

His career was repeatedly interrupted by bouts of poor health.
He found the wait for a teaching post so frustrating that he considered emigrating to the US; he had already visited the American consul in Munich to make the arrangements when he received an appointment.
When he was teaching mathematics at the Vienna Polytechnic Institute, students complained that he was too harsh in his exams; he was reprimanded and the students were allowed to retake the tests (1844).

Why he might not be annoying:

An asteroid and a crater on the moon are named after him.
He predicted that the Doppler Effect on the spectra of stars would be used by astronomers to determine the distances to the stars.
Applications of the Doppler Effect range from the GPS navigation system to Major League Baseball's Statcast.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• 19th Century Scientists
• An Asteroid was Named in My Honor (Ranked: 3905)
• Breeders [Have 5 or More Kids] (Ranked: 5)
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 71]
• From St. Patricks to St. Peter [Died on March 17th] (Ranked: 1853)
• Look at Me, I'm Postage
• Profiles 45501-45750 (Ranked: 45501)
• Scientists

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 61 Votes: 49.18% Annoying