Joseph John Thomson, who discovered the electron in 1897, won the 1906 Nobel Prize in Physics "in recognition of the great merits of his theoretical and experimental investigations on the conduction of electricity by gases." The British scientist discovered that cathode rays consisted of negatively charged particles of subatomic size, which he called corpuscles, and which ultimately became known as electrons. He carried this theory to all matter, hypothesizing that matter consisted of negatively charged particles that were surrounded by positively charged particles, and that these charges neutralized each other. He became Sir Joseph in 1908 when he was knighted for his work. As evidence of his amazing mind and great teaching abilities, seven of his research assistants and his son, George, went on to win Nobel Prizes in physics.

Thompson, always known as "J.J.," was born near Manchester, England, the son of a bookseller, who sent him to Owens...