Mária Telkes Biography: Age, Husband, Net Worth, Height, Nationality, Death

Mária Telkes is a Hungarian-American biophysicist and inventor, best known for her groundbreaking work in solar energy technology. Her contributions to the field earned her the nickname “Queen of the Sun.”

Telkes is a pioneer in solar thermal storage systems and plays a key role in developing practical applications for solar energy.

She is recognized as one of the founders of solar technology and her inventions have impacted the field.

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  • Full name: Maria Telkes
  • Date of birth: December 12, 1900
  • Age: 123 years old
  • Female
  • Place of birth: Budapest, Austria-Hungary
  • Nationality: Hungarian-American
  • Occupation: Physiologist, Inventor
  • Parents: Aladar and Mária Laban de Telkes
  • Siblings: Not applicable
  • Spouse: Not applicable
  • Children: Not applicable
  • Relationship status: Not applicable
  • Net worth: 5 million USD

Early Life & Education

Mária Telkes (123 years old as of 2023) was born in Budapest, Austria-Hungary on December 12, 1900.

She grew up in Budapest and attended primary and secondary school in the city. Telkes showed great interest in science from an early age.

She studied at the prestigious Eötvös Loránd University and earned a Bachelor’s degree in physical chemistry in 1920. Her passion for the subject led her to pursue further education and she earned a Ph.D. in physical chemistry in 1924.

Personal life

Mária Telkes’s personal life, including her romantic relationships, spouse, and children, is not well documented.

Career

Telkes began her career as a biophysicist in the United States after moving there in 1924. She worked at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, studying energy produced by living organisms.

Telkes collaborated with George Washington Crile and invented a photoelectric mechanism to record brain waves. She is also a co-author of the book “Phenomenon of Life” at the foundation.

Telkes then worked as a physicist at Westinghouse, where she focused on developing metal alloys for thermocouples that could convert heat into electricity.

In 1939, she joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to work in the newly established solar energy program.

Telkes’ expertise in solar technology became apparent during World War II when she developed a solar-powered water desalination machine to provide clean water to soldiers in difficult circumstances.

One of Telkes’ notable achievements was the development of a solar distillation device that saved the lives of downed pilots and torpedoed sailors during the war.

She aims to create a version of the device that can benefit villagers in poor and arid regions. Telkes’s work continued after the war, and she collaborated with architect Eleanor Raymond to create one of the first solar-powered houses, the Dover Sun House. Their innovative design stores energy from sunlight every day, heating the house.

Telkes received recognition for her contributions to the field of solar energy. In 1952, she became the first recipient of the Society of Women Engineers’ Achievement Award.

She also received a lifetime achievement award from the National Academy of Sciences Building Research Advisory Board in 1977.

Throughout his career, Telkes has registered more than 20 patents for his inventions and advancements in solar technology.

Net value

According to sources, Mária Telkes has a net worth of about $5 million.

Death

Mária Telkes died on December 2, 1995 in Budapest, Hungary, at the age of 94.

Social Media

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  • Twitter name: Not applicable

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