Harold Hillman
Encyclopedia
Harold Hillman is a British
scientist
and an expert in the neurobiology of execution methods.
Hillman caused controversy in biological fields with his insistence that structures seen in cells under the electron microscope
were little more than artefacts
. He maintained that up to 90 percent of the brain is made up of "a fine, granular material that is virtually liquid" and that the brain only has two cell types, as opposed to four.
Mainstream scientists maintained that as fixation techniques have been compared with other analysis techniques, and that there is no explanation for why all the different techniques should produce identical artifacts.
Hillman's main field was neurobiology and resuscitation, in which his work was largely uncontroversial.
Hillman was awarded the 1997 Ig Nobel Prize
for Peace for his report "The Possible Pain Experienced During Execution by Different Methods.".
Hillman was a founder member of Amnesty International
, and later produced research for the charity.
Hillman was Reader in Physiology
at the University of Surrey
from 1965 until 1989, when he took early retirement.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
and an expert in the neurobiology of execution methods.
Hillman caused controversy in biological fields with his insistence that structures seen in cells under the electron microscope
Electron microscope
An electron microscope is a type of microscope that uses a beam of electrons to illuminate the specimen and produce a magnified image. Electron microscopes have a greater resolving power than a light-powered optical microscope, because electrons have wavelengths about 100,000 times shorter than...
were little more than artefacts
Artifact (error)
In natural science and signal processing, an artifact is any error in the perception or representation of any visual or aural information introduced by the involved equipment or technique....
. He maintained that up to 90 percent of the brain is made up of "a fine, granular material that is virtually liquid" and that the brain only has two cell types, as opposed to four.
Mainstream scientists maintained that as fixation techniques have been compared with other analysis techniques, and that there is no explanation for why all the different techniques should produce identical artifacts.
Hillman's main field was neurobiology and resuscitation, in which his work was largely uncontroversial.
Hillman was awarded the 1997 Ig Nobel Prize
Ig Nobel Prize
The Ig Nobel Prizes are an American parody of the Nobel Prizes and are given each year in early October for ten unusual or trivial achievements in scientific research. The stated aim of the prizes is to "first make people laugh, and then make them think"...
for Peace for his report "The Possible Pain Experienced During Execution by Different Methods.".
Hillman was a founder member of Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
, and later produced research for the charity.
Hillman was Reader in Physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
at the University of Surrey
University of Surrey
The University of Surrey is a university located within the county town of Guildford, Surrey in the South East of England. It received its charter on 9 September 1966, and was previously situated near Battersea Park in south-west London. The institution was known as Battersea College of Technology...
from 1965 until 1989, when he took early retirement.