He was born in the
Republic of Geneva, the son of botanist Professor Jacques Necker, nephew and namesake of statesman
Jacques Necker, and
Albertine Necker de Saussure. He was educated in
Geneva, then sent to
Edinburgh University in
Scotland to study Sciences from 1806 to 1808. The
Necker cube is an
optical illusion that was first published as a
rhomboid in 1832 by him. He returned to Scotland in 1841 and settled on the
Isle of Skye, lodging with the Cameron family at Bosville Terrace in
Portree. His scientific interests turned to astronomy and a study of the
aurora borealis. In 1843 and 1845, he was joined by his friend,
James Forbes, a physicist and glaciologist. Together, they made the first accurate map of the
Cuillins. He spent his later life mountaineering and collecting ornithological specimens. He died in
Portree on 20 November 1861. He is buried next to the Cameron family in the Portree churchyard. == Works ==