What peace in physics?

[Loren Booda]

What physicist, physical experiment, theory or philosophy has best contributed to world peace?

[tribdog]

I'll let you know as soon as I see world peace.
Damn, that was too deep for me. I gotta make something up. I'll say it should be "The Hubble Telescope" Who can look at that Deep Field picture with all those galaxies and not feel humbled and awed? Makes me want to call all humans my brother.
Damn, damn got too deep for me again.
How about the guy who invented the money scanner machines. Now I can go to the gas station and not have to deal with some snotty cashier. I can put the money in myself and pump it myself and be on my way. Now that I think about it though, the damn thing only works half the time and that makes me want to kick someone's butt. So forget I said that one. Hell, like I said before I'll tell you what most contributed to world peace as soon as we aren't at war.

[Njorl]

I think there is no doubt. Nuclear weapons prevented WWIII. There would surely have been a direct, massive struggle between NATO and the Warsaw pact if we were not terrified that we'd exerminate ourselves.

Now, if we could only un-invent them.

Njorl

[selfAdjoint]

I agree with you Njorl. But I think that photograph of the earth from space - the "big blue marble" - did more to raise the consciousness of people all over the world than anything else in my lifetime. It just said to everyone, we are all togther on this beautiful finite ball. Take it seriously.

[einsteinian77]

I'd say every physicist contributes to world peace by discovering the truths of the universe, its only when people try to use these discoveries to their own advantage that peace dies in the name of science. People like the military, politicians, and dictactors are the ones who bring out the bad in science, therefore, no one sees the potential good. I do agree with njorl though when comes to the prevention of world war III by atomic bombs.

[Chi Meson]

I would have to insist that all medical applications of physics breakthroughs be considered as contributions to peace. Ultrasound, CAT-scan, PET-scan, NMR, mass-specroscopy etc; can any one of these things be attributed to one person?