Curiosity, Love and Society : The Lives and Work of Marie and August Krogh

Marie and August Krogh, leading Scandinavian scientists, transformed medical research and social welfare with advances in insulin production, capillary physiology, vitamins, and work environments. 17 illustrated chapters cover topics from lung function and salt balance to atmospheric CO2, Inuit metabolism, and insect flight.

August and Marie Krogh are amongst Scandinavia’s most important scientists, and both would have celebrated their 150th birthday in 2024. Marie and August Krogh were instrumental in establishing insulin production just a few years after this hormone had been discovered, and August Krogh received the Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1920 for his work on capillary physiology.

In addition to fundamental contributions on lung function, capillary physiology and insights to the mechanisms underlying water and salt balance, Marie and August Krogh contributed greatly to the solution of social problems, including the importance of vitamins in food and improvement of work environments.

This book celebrates their shared and individual work on topics ranging from atmospheric CO2, over Inuit metabolism to insect flight mechanisms, lung diffusing capacity, and bread baked with plenty of yeast. The 17 chapters on this eminent scientific couple are richly illustrated and written by experts in the respective area. Collectively, the diverse chapters describe the importance of their scientific and societal contributions, the historical context in which they were made, and the lasting impact that Marie and August Krogh had on academia and society.