Nicolas-Jacques Conté
French soldier and inventor, balloonist
French soldier and inventor, balloonist
1805
220 years ago — 50 years old
Scientists & Innovators
France
Born in 1755, a soldier and inventor contributed to military and aeronautical innovations. Conté worked on the development of the hot air balloon and participated in the Montgolfier brothers' early balloon flights. Additionally, as a painter, he produced notable works during his career. Conté notably devised a method for producing graphite pencils, which led to widespread use of this writing instrument.
Developed the modern graphite pencil
Participated in early hot air balloon flights
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