Georg Bernhard Bilfinger (23.1.1693-18.02.1750) - German physicist. Born in Cannstatt. In 1721–24 professor of philosophy at the University of Tübingen. In 1725–30 professor at the St Petersburg Academy of Sciences and
from 1726 the first head of the chair of experimental and theoretical physics. Because of the intrigues of Schumacher, the manager of the Academy's chancellery, he returned in 1731 to the University of Tübingen, but kept close ties with the St Petersburg Academy, of which he was an honorary member from 1731.
He carried out a number of interesting experiments on heat and on capillarity, and worked on improving thermometers, barometers and air pumps. Systematic meteorological observations were made under his direction. He was a supporter of Cartesianism and in 1728 proposed his own vortex theory of gravitation, which was plainly anti-Newtonian in character. He gave public lectures on experimental physics and taught physics at the Academic Gymnasium.