Lars Fredrik Svanberg

Lars Fredrik Svanberg (13 May 1805 – 16 July 1878) was a Swedish chemist and mineralogist. He became a student at Uppsala University in 1819 and then went on to study rock science in Falun. In 1850 he was appointed chemist of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, to succeed Jöns Jacob Berzelius. Three years later, in 1853, he obtained a professorship at Uppsala University, which he held for 20 years until his retirement in 1874. Thanks to Svanberg, the study of chemistry developed and flourished in Uppsala and many younger chemists from his laboratories came to earn many professorships in Sweden in this field of study.

Svanberg is also known to have worked at Jöns Jacob Berzelius’ laboratory between 1833-1835. Berzelius is one of the most reputable Swedish scientists and researchers and only Carl von Linné is considered ranked above him. His most valuable work includes the determination of chemical proportions, that is, the introduction of atomic theory into chemistry, as well as his discovery of the elements silicon, selenium, cerium and thorium. Svanberg was a highly esteemed disciple and friend of Berzelius and the testament he placed in Svanberg’s hands, namely to continue the critical accounts of scientific progress, testifies to this.