Interesting Facts about Richard Feynmann

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around various interesting facts and anecdotes about Richard Feynman, touching on his personality, professional life, and personal experiences. The scope includes biographical details, humorous stories, and reflections on his impact on others, particularly in the context of physics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express admiration for Feynman, citing his unique personality and contributions to physics.
  • Several anecdotes are shared, including Feynman's unconventional meeting locations and his playful experiments related to physics.
  • One participant mentions a quote attributed to Feynman about the nature of physics.
  • Another participant references a placard Feynman held at a rally, highlighting his views on societal issues.
  • There are discussions about the truthfulness of the anecdotes shared, with some participants questioning their accuracy.
  • Participants reflect on Feynman's humor and express a desire for him to have been their professor.
  • One participant shares a somber fact about Feynman's first wife's death and connects it to a personal anecdote.
  • Another participant recounts a story about Feynman's dedication to problem-solving even in the face of personal health challenges.
  • Humor is present in the discussion, with playful exchanges about Feynman's legacy and a light-hearted comment about cadavers.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share a sense of admiration for Feynman, but there are differing views on the accuracy of certain anecdotes and the appropriateness of humor related to his legacy. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the truth of some claims.

Contextual Notes

Some statements rely on personal recollections and interpretations, which may vary in accuracy. The discussion includes speculative elements and emotional responses that are not universally shared.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in biographical anecdotes about Richard Feynman, his contributions to physics, and the cultural impact of his personality may find this discussion engaging.

Mk
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Interesting guy, what do YOU know?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I'm currently reading "Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman!" I love the book. I love the guy. One of the greatest men to ever walk this earth.
 
He conducted meetings in strip clubs, did not drink alcohol, had a lot of fun picking locks and cracking safes while working on the manhatten project and best of all inspired me to go back to uni and read for a Physics degree.
 
"Physics is like sex. Sure, it may give some practical results, but that's not why we do it." - R. Feynman
 
On Feynman's placard at a "legalize marijuana" rally:

"Stupidity should not be a crime!"
 
In order to prove that future astronauts could relieve themselves in micro-gravity, that is, in order to end the muscle action vs gravity debate, Feynman stood on his head an peed for his friends.
 
Are you guys sure all this is true?
 
Everything that has been said is true. Why do you doubt it?
 
Correct me if I am wrong, but I think that he is the funniest Physicist ever!

I really wish he were my Physics professor for all my Physics classes. :frown:
 
  • #10
Mk said:
Interesting guy, what do YOU know?

Interesting factoid:

If you spell his name incorrectly, it has 15 letters.

:biggrin:
 
  • #11
Yes, that's true.
 
  • #12
Feynman's first wife died of TB. :frown:
 
  • #13
laminatedevildoll said:
Feynman's first wife died of TB. :frown:
And, IIRC, her bedside clock stopped at just around her time of death. And what do you think Feynman thought of that? What else: The clock had always been touchy and the nurse may have disturbed it in recording the time of death. I don't know whether it's true though.

One of my favorite pictures of him: http://faculty.rmwc.edu/tmichalik/images/feynman.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #14
Aww, did you get cut out? :-p
 
Last edited:
  • #15
Hm. I can't figure out what to say. I can see how that might be funny, but for some reason, it upsets me. :frown:
 
  • #16
Richard and one of his colleagues are talking about a student's calculations, and something is wrong with it. The whole day they try to fix it, but they give up and go home. Then, some hours later in the evening, the colleague gets a call from Richard and Richard tells him that he has solved the problem with the student's calculations.

This all happened a short time before Feynman would undergo a dangerous surgery due to his cancer. A normal person would be concerned whether he would survive the surgery, but Feynman instead works on that problem. He was a true physicist.
 
  • #17
laminatedevildoll said:
Correct me if I am wrong, but I think that he is the funniest Physicist ever!
I really wish he were my Physics professor for all my Physics classes. :frown:

Wouldn't that corpsy smell really get to you though?

Sorry

:frown:

I feel kinda rotten now.
 
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  • #18
inquire4more said:
Wouldn't that corpsy smell really get to you though?

Sorry

:frown:

I feel kinda rotten now.
LOL. Let me rephrase it. I wish he were alive. I call him 'Funnyman' too.
 
  • #19
inquire4more said:
Wouldn't that corpsy smell really get to you though?

Sorry

:frown:

I feel kinda rotten now.

oh touche :smile:
 
  • #20
I love cadavers.
 

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