William Crookes was an English chemist and physicist born in 1832. He is best known for his work in the field of vacuum tubes and for inventing the Crookes tube, an early type of cathode ray tube. This invention laid the groundwork for the development of modern television and other electronic devices. In addition to his contributions to physics, Crookes was also interested in spiritualism and conducted experiments in the late 19th century to investigate paranormal phenomena. He was a prominent figure in the scientific community and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1878.