The Nobel Prize was awarded for the first time in 1901. Since the beginning of the century, the commission annually selects the best specialist who has made an important discovery or created an invention in order to honor him with an honorary award. The list of Nobel Prize winners somewhat exceeds the number of years the award ceremony has been held, as sometimes two or three people were awarded at the same time. However, there are a few worth noting separately.
Igor Tamm
Russian physicist, Nobel Prize winner, was born in the city of Vladivostok in the family of a civil engineer. In 1901, the family moved to Ukraine, it was there that Igor Evgenievich Tamm graduated from high school, after which he went to study in Edinburgh. In 1918, he received a diploma from the Physics Department of Moscow State University.
After that, he began to teach, first in Simferopol, then in Odessa, and then in Moscow. In 1934 he received the post of head of the theoretical physics sector at the Lebedev Institute, where he worked until the end of his life. Igor Evgenievich Tamm studied the electrodynamics of solids, as well as the optical properties of crystals. In his works, he first expressed the idea of quantasound waves. Relativistic mechanics was extremely relevant in those days, and Tamm was able to experimentally confirm ideas that had not been proven before. His discoveries proved to be very significant. In 1958, the work was recognized at the world level: together with colleagues Cherenkov and Frank, he received the Nobel Prize.
Otto Stern
It is worth noting one more theoretician who showed extraordinary abilities for experiments. German-American physicist, Nobel Prize winner Otto Stern was born in February 1888 in Sorau (now it is the Polish city of Zori). Stern graduated from school in Breslau, and then studied natural sciences at German universities for several years. In 1912, he defended his doctoral thesis, and Einstein became the supervisor of his graduate work.
During World War I, Otto Stern was drafted into the army, but there he continued theoretical research in the field of quantum theory. From 1914 to 1921 he worked at the University of Frankfurt, where he worked on the experimental confirmation of molecular motion. It was then that he succeeded in developing the method of atomic beams, the so-called Stern experiment. In 1923 he received a professorship at the University of Hamburg. In 1933, he opposed anti-Semitism and was forced to move from Germany to the United States, where he received citizenship. In 1943, he joined the list of Nobel Prize winners for his serious contribution to the development of the molecular beam method and the discovery of the magnetic moment of the proton. Since 1945 he has been a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Since 1946lived in Berkeley, where he ended his days in 1969.
Oh. Chamberlain
American physicist Owen Chamberlain was born on July 10, 1920 in San Francisco. Together with Emilio Segre, he worked in the field of quantum physics. Colleagues managed to achieve significant success and make a discovery: they discovered antiprotons. In 1959 they were noticed internationally and awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. Since 1960, Chamberlain has been admitted to the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. Worked at Harvard as a professor, ended his days at Berkeley in February 2006.
Niels Bohr
Few Nobel Prize winners in physics are as famous as this Danish scientist. In a sense, he can be called the creator of modern science. In addition, Niels Bohr founded the Institute for Theoretical Physics in Copenhagen. He owns the theory of the atom, based on the planetary model, as well as postulates. He created the most important works on the theory of the atomic nucleus and nuclear reactions, on the philosophy of natural science. Despite his interest in the structure of particles, he opposed their use for military purposes. The future physicist was educated at a grammar school, where he became famous as an avid football player. He gained a reputation as a gifted researcher at the age of twenty-three, having graduated from the University of Copenhagen. His graduation project was awarded a gold medal. Niels Bohr proposed to determine the surface tension of water from the vibrations of the jet. From 1908 to 1911 he worked at his native university. Then moved toEngland, where he worked with Joseph John Thomson, and then with Ernest Rutherford. Here he conducted his most important experiments, which led him to receive an award in 1922. After that, he returned to Copenhagen, where he lived until his death in 1962.
Lev Landau
Soviet physicist, Nobel Prize winner, born in 1908. Landau created amazing work in many areas: he studied magnetism, superconductivity, atomic nuclei, elementary particles, electrodynamics and much more. Together with Evgeny Lifshitz, he created a classical course in theoretical physics. His biography is interesting for its unusually rapid development: already at the age of thirteen, Landau entered the university. For a while he studied chemistry, but later decided to study physics. Since 1927 he was a graduate student at the Ioffe Leningrad Institute. Contemporaries remembered him as a keen, sharp person, prone to critical assessments. The strictest self-discipline allowed Landau to succeed. He worked on the formulas so much that he even saw them at night in his sleep. His scientific trips abroad also had a strong influence on him. Of particular importance was the visit to the Niels Bohr Institute for Theoretical Physics, when the scientist was able to discuss the problems of interest to him at the highest level. Landau considered himself a student of a famous Dane.
In the late thirties, the scientist had to face the Stalinist repressions. The physicist had a chance to escape from Kharkov, where he lived with his family. This did not help, and in 1938 he was arrested. The world's leading scientists turned to Stalin, and in 1939 Landau was released. After that, for many years he was engaged in scientific work. In 1962 he was included in the Nobel Prize in Physics. The committee chose him for his innovative approach to the study of condensed matter, especially liquid helium. In the same year, he suffered a tragic accident, colliding with a truck. After that, he lived for six years. Russian physicists, Nobel Prize winners rarely achieved such recognition as Lev Landau had. Despite the difficult fate, he realized all his dreams and formulated a completely new approach to science.
Max Born
German physicist, Nobel Prize winner, theorist and creator of quantum mechanics was born in 1882. The future author of the most important works on the theory of relativity, electrodynamics, philosophical issues, fluid kinetics and many others worked in Britain and at home. He received his first education in a grammar school with a language bias. After school he entered the University of Breslau. During his studies, he attended lectures by the most famous mathematicians of that time - Felix Klein, David Hilbert and Hermann Minkowski. In 1912 he received a position as Privatdozent in Göttingen, and in 1914 he went to Berlin. Since 1919 he worked in Frankfurt as a professor. Among his colleagues was Otto Stern, the future Nobel Prize winner, whom we have already talked about. In his works, Born described solids and quantum theory. He came to the need for a special interpretation of the corpuscular-wave nature of matter. He proved thatthe laws of physics of the microcosm can be called statistical and that the wave function must be interpreted as a complex quantity. After the Nazis came to power, he moved to Cambridge. He returned to Germany only in 1953, and received the Nobel Prize in 1954. Forever remained in the history of physics as one of the most influential theorists of the twentieth century.
Enrico Fermi
Not many Nobel Prize winners in physics come from Italy. However, it was there that Enrico Fermi, the most important specialist of the twentieth century, was born. He became the creator of nuclear and neutron physics, founded several scientific schools and was a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union. In addition, Fermi owns a large number of theoretical works in the field of elementary particles. In 1938, he moved to the United States, where he discovered artificial radioactivity and built the first nuclear reactor in human history. In the same year he received the Nobel Prize. Interestingly, Fermi was distinguished by a phenomenal memory, thanks to which he not only turned out to be an incredibly capable physicist, but also quickly learned foreign languages with the help of independent studies, which he approached in a disciplined manner, according to his own system. Such abilities singled him out at the university.
Immediately after the training, he began to lecture on quantum theory, which at that time was practically not studied in Italy. His first research in the field of electrodynamics also deserved general attention. Professor Mario is worth noting on Fermi's path to successCorbino, who appreciated the talents of the scientist and became his patron at the University of Rome, providing the young man with an excellent career. After moving to America, he worked in Las Alamos and Chicago, where he died in 1954.
Erwin Schrödinger
Austrian theoretical physicist was born in 1887 in Vienna, the son of a manufacturer. A we althy father was vice president of the local botanical and zoological society and from an early age instilled in his son an interest in science. Until the age of eleven, Erwin studied at home, and in 1898 he entered the academic gymnasium. Having brilliantly graduated from it, he entered the University of Vienna. Despite the fact that a physical speci alty was chosen, Schrödinger also showed humanitarian talents: he knew six foreign languages, wrote poetry and understood literature. Achievements in the exact sciences were inspired by Fritz Hasenrohl, Erwin's talented teacher. It was he who helped the student to understand that physics is his main interest. For his doctoral dissertation, Schrödinger chose an experimental work, which he successfully defended. Work began at the university, during which the scientist was engaged in atmospheric electricity, optics, acoustics, color theory and quantum physics. Already in 1914 he was approved as an assistant professor, which allowed him to lecture. After the war, in 1918, he began working at the Jena Physics Institute, where he worked with Max Planck and Einstein. In 1921 he began teaching in Stuttgart, but after one semester he moved to Breslau. After some time, I received an invitation from the Polytechnic in Zurich. Between 1925 and 1926 he performed several revolutionaryexperiments, publishing a paper en titled "Quantization as an eigenvalue problem". He created the most important equation, which is also relevant for modern science. In 1933 he received the Nobel Prize, after which he was forced to leave the country: the Nazis came to power. After the war, he returned to Austria, where he lived all the remaining years and died in 1961 in his native Vienna.
Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen
The famous German experimental physicist was born in Lennep near Düsseldorf in 1845. Having received his education at the Zurich Polytechnic, he planned to become an engineer, but realized that he was interested in theoretical physics. He became an assistant at the department at his native university, then moved to Giessen. From 1871 to 1873 he worked in Würzburg. In 1895, he discovered X-rays and carefully studied their properties. He was the author of the most important works on the pyro- and piezoelectric properties of crystals and on magnetism. He became the world's first Nobel Prize winner in physics, having received it in 1901 for his outstanding contribution to science. In addition, it was Roentgen who worked in the Kundt school, becoming a kind of founder of a whole scientific trend, collaborating with his contemporaries - Helmholtz, Kirchhoff, Lorentz. Despite the glory of a successful experimenter, he led a rather secluded life and communicated exclusively with assistants. Therefore, the impact of his ideas on those physicists who were not his students turned out to be not very significant. The modest scientist refused to name the rays in his honor, calling them X-rays all his life. He gave his income to the state and lived in very cramped circumstances. DiedWilhelm Roentgen February 10, 1923 in Munich.
Albert Einstein
World famous physicist was born in Germany. He became the creator of the theory of relativity and wrote the most important works on quantum theory, was a foreign corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. From 1893 he lived in Switzerland, and in 1933 he moved to the United States. It was Einstein who introduced the concept of the photon, established the laws of the photoelectric effect, and predicted the discovery of stimulated emission. He developed the theory of Brownian motion and fluctuations, and also created quantum statistics. Worked on problems of cosmology. In 1921 he received the Nobel Prize for discovering the laws of the photoelectric effect. In addition, Albert Einstein is one of the main initiators of the founding of the State of Israel. In the thirties, he opposed Nazi Germany and tried to keep politicians from crazy actions. His opinion about the atomic problem was not heard, which became the main tragedy of the scientist's life. In 1955, he died in Princeton of an aortic aneurysm.
