Kirchhoff, the co-inventor with Robert Bunsen of recording spectroscopy, was one of the first scientists to apply spectroscopy to areas beyond analytical chemistry. Though he is most often remembered for his work with Bunsen, he had already made a name for himself in the field of electrical theory years before their collaboration.

Kirchhoff was an outstanding student at the university in his hometown of Königsberg, East Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia), where he made his first major contribution to science before receiving his degree. After a series of experiments with circuits, Kirchhoff determined that electricity traveled at the speed of light. Thus demonstrating his mastery of mathematical analysis, he was appointed to a professorial position at Breslau (now Wroclaw, Poland) after graduation. It was there that he met Bunsen and established a fast friendship with him.

Kirchhoff's initial meeting with Bunsen had been so fruitful that four...