Abraham Pais

Twentieth century physics

Electrons on solids, Brian Pippard a history of optical and optoelectronic physics in the 20th century, R.G.W. Brown and E.R. Pike physics of materials, Robert W. Cahn electron-beam instruments, T. Mulvey soft matter - birth and growth of concepts, P.G. de Gennes plasma physics in the 20th century, Richard F. Post astrophysics and cosmology, Malcolm S. Longair computer-generated physics, Mitchell J. Feigenbaum medical physics, John R. Mallard geophysics, S.G. Brush and C.S. Gillmor reflections on 20th-century physics - three essays.

Einstein and the Press

Nearly four decades after Albert Einsteins death, his role as a mythical figure in our culture continues undiminished. Articles centering on him still appear in the press. He is the main character in plays and operas, and is pictured in advertisements, some witty, some vulgar.

Max Born's Statistical Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics

In the summer of 1926, a statistical element was introduced for the first time in the fundamental laws of physics in two papers by Born. After a brief account of Borns earlier involvements with quantum physics, including his bringing the new mechanics to the United States, the motivation for and contents of Borns two papers are discussed. The reaction of his colleagues is described.

George Uhlenbeck and the Discovery of Electron Spin

The owl depicted on the signet ring George Uhlenbeck used to wear—“Uhlenbeck” in German means “owls brook”—derives from his familys coat of arms. The shield reads, in the language of heraldry: Azure, on a tree trunk proper rising from water argent, an owl contourne, head affronty. In plain language, it depicts an owl with its head turned toward you, sitting on a tree trunk in natural color, which rises up out of a silvery brook. (I owe the transcription of the Dutch blazon into English heraldry to Michael Maclagan, the Richmond Herald in the College of Arms, in London.)

Twenty years of physics: Particles

HOT VERSUS COLD; dry versus wet. Such were the two values of the pair of attributes that in antique and medieval speculation characterized “the” four elements, the substances from which all bodies are made or derived: hot, dry fire; hot, wet air; cold, wet water; cold, dry earth.

Theoretical Particle Physics

“Gentlemen and Fellow Physicists of America: We meet today on an occasion which marks an epoch in the history of physics in America; may the future show that it also marks an epoch in the history of the science which this Society is organized to cultivate!” (Rowland, 1899).1 These are the opening words of the address by Henry Rowland, the first president of Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, at the Society’s first meeting, held in New York on October 28, 1899. I do not believe that Rowland would have been disappointed by what the next few generations of physicists have cultivated so far.

Res Jost January 10, 1918 – October 3, 1990

On January 2, 1946 I arrived in Copenhagen to start post-doctoral research. I was the first of the post-War crop of youngsters from abroad to start work at Niels Bohr’s Institut for teoretisk Fysik (in 1965 renamed Niels Bohr Institute). There, shortly afterwards, on the 15th, I made the first acquaintance of another young arrival from abroad1. He was Res Jost. We were of the same age, both born in 1918.

'Subtle Is the Lord ...': The Science and the Life of Albert Einstein

For withdrawing a bundle of pipes from a heat exchanger and for inserting such bundle the required tractive forces should be exerted on the bundle in a direction in line therewith by means of a key. In order to engage the pipe bundle at its front end and to firmly grip it in a manner that hanging through of the pipes is restricted to an admissible value, the gripper comprises a clamp having at least two clamping jaws adapted to engage the outer circumference of a front flange of the bundle of pipes.

The Princeton period

IN SEPTEMBER 1946 the American Physical Society met in midtown Manhattan. In the minutes of this meeting we read that it “was confined to papers on three topics: cosmic‐ray phenomena, theories of elementary particles and the design and operation of accelerators of nuclear particles and electrons. Disparate as these three subjects may appear to be, the trend of physics is rapidly uniting them.”