Have any famous or well known scientists come to this site?

[dsaun777]

Have any famous or well known scientists come to this site or are apart of this forum? If not, they should be.

 

[jack action]

If you are willing to consider infamous as well, I know Valery Fabrikant came around for a few posts about 10 years ago.

 

[StevieTNZ]

Brian Cox.

 

[russ_watters]

We used to have a sort of partnership with Michio Kaku. Mileage varies.

 

[Vanadium 50]

1. I am not sure there are any famous physicists. I was on a flight and happened to be seated next to Jack Steinberger. (Had a great time) Nobody knew who he was. Even with the manifest.

Lev Okun used to be here. Who? My point exaxctly.

2, The scientists who are well-known to the online community are usually not famous for their science, but for, well, being well-known to the online community.

Brian Cox vs. Lev Okun? My point exactly.

3. "They should be" sounds awfully demanding. Why should they come here? They can find the ungrateful and demanding at their home institutions.

 

[f95toli]

I seem to remember Brian Josephson (as in "Josephson effect" and "Josephson Junction") being active for a short time a few years ago.

 

[fluidistic]

Garrett Lisi used to hang in here.

 

[dextercioby]

We had a collaboration with John Baez in the past. But yeah, Lev Okun was briefly here to talk about mass and energy in relativity, remind us of his works on that.

 

[Office_Shredder]

We had a collaboration with John Baez in the past. But yeah, Lev Okun was briefly here to talk about mass and energy in relativity, remind us of his works on that.

If someone has to remind you about their work, they can't be that famous! :)

 

[Ibix]

If someone has to remind you about their work, they can't be that famous! :)

He's famous enough that when he appeared and asked a question about relativistic mass and whether we thought it was a useful concept, a poster (who shall remain nameless) recommended he read the work of Lev Okun.

 

[berkeman]

a poster (who shall remain nameless)

Spoilsport!

 

[strangerep]

Brian Cox.

Media personalities have to be careful exposing themselves to public conversation with others who actually know the subject in detail.

Brian was here just long enough for various other physicists (who actually understood relativistic quantum entanglement theory and the distinction between correlation and causation) to take him to task over a segment in one of his TV shows where he claimed that an action here on Earth could instantaneously cause an effect in Andromeda.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Garrett Lisi

OK, let's pick on him. Is he a "famous physicist"? According to Inspire has published 2 papers with a combined 68 cites. On the one hand, that's 2 and 68 more than most PFers. On the others, thousands of working physicists have stronger publication records.

Are "famous physicist" and "internet celebrity" synonyms?

 

[pinball1970]

Sean Carroll.

https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/interview-physicist-sean-carroll/

 

[Ibix]

Sean Carroll.

He also apparently recommended us at least once:

How did you find PF?: This site was recommended by Sean Carroll after I emailed him with two queries regarding quantum physics.

 

[fluidistic]

OK, let's pick on him. Is he a "famous physicist"? According to Inspire has published 2 papers with a combined 68 cites. On the one hand, that's 2 and 68 more than most PFers. On the others, thousands of working physicists have stronger publication records.

Are "famous physicist" and "internet celebrity" synonyms?

Yes, he was the hottest one back in 2007. https://blogs.scientificamerican.co...offers-alternative-to-string-theory-academia/
Maybe his theory didn't work out, but that doesn't matter, he was the cool physicist surfing around, and everyone, physicist or not, had heard about him.

 

[Vanadium 50]

68 cites isn't "didnt pan out". It's "the community found it uninteresting". One can always fit the SM into a big enough group. The trick is to find a group that makes the theory restrictive enough to make predictions,. To pick another theory that "didn't pan out", Pati-Salam had 3000 or so cites. The difference is that the physics community found that paper interesting. (It taught the world how to create GUTs)

There are a half dozen or dozen people on PF with a stronger publishing record. Do they nolt count because they aren't "surfer dudes"? The OP should clarify. (But he seems to have wandered away)

 

[julian]

John Baez has been posting here from 2004 to 2021:

https://www.physicsforums.com/search/7497600/

unless that is somebody pretending to be John Baez.

Francesca Vidotto, who wrote the book "Covariant loop quantum gravity" with Carlo Rovelli:

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/covariant-loop-quantum-gravity/2DF4474CBF7845C261FA78904270F226

 

[dextercioby]

He's famous enough that when he appeared and asked a question about relativistic mass and whether we thought it was a useful concept, a poster (who shall remain nameless) recommended he read the work of Lev Okun.

I remember it was me. Perhaps if you have the link, you can share it here. It would be nice for me to reread it. :)

 

[Ibix]

I remember it was me. Perhaps if you have the link, you can share it here. It would be nice for me to reread it. :)

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/on-the-concept-of-mass.696144/

 

[pinball1970]

68 cites isn't "didnt pan out". It's "the community found it uninteresting". One can always fit the SM into a big enough group. The trick is to find a group that makes the theory restrictive enough to make predictions,. To pick another theory that "didn't pan out", Pati-Salam had 3000 or so cites. The difference is that the physics community found that paper interesting. (It taught the world how to create GUTs)

There are a half dozen or dozen people on PF with a stronger publishing record. Do they nolt count because they aren't "surfer dudes"? The OP should clarify. (But he seems to have wandered away)

I am guessing TV famous and even those are not particularly well known to the general public.
I had tickets to see a Richard Dawkins talk in Salford a few years ago and my friend and his partner asked if there tickets left.
I managed to get some and we all went, books signed, photo taken etc.
My friend a few weeks later said his partner had mentioned to him that she expected him to be in a wheelchair.

 

[OmCheeto]

...

Francesca Vidotto, who wrote the book "Covariant loop quantum gravity" with Carlo Rovelli:
...

Marcus was mentioned in that book. Yay Marcus!

 

[julian]

Marcus was mentioned in that book. Yay Marcus!

I had no idea! Which page?

 

[OmCheeto]

I had now idea! Which page?

I've been told by forum mentors not to divulge his true identity, so I'm afraid I can't tell you. Sorry!

 

[PhDeezNutz]

Media personalities have to be careful exposing themselves to public conversation with others who actually know the subject in detail.

Brian was here just long enough for various other physicists (who actually understood relativistic quantum entanglement theory and the distinction between correlation and causation) to take him to task over a segment in one of his TV shows where he claimed that an action here on Earth could instantaneously cause an effect in Andromeda.

I would love to see this thread if you have a link.

 

[pinball1970]

I would love to see this thread if you have a link.

I found this easily the other day and now I cannot locate it. It is from 2011 between Dec20th and 24th. Under BeCox.

 

[PhDeezNutz]

I found this easily the other day and now I cannot locate it. It is from 2011 between Dec20th and 24th. Under BeCox.

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/a-night-with-the-stars-brian-cox-on-telly.561511/

I think I found it. Thank you for the info.

 

[Vanadium 50]

the community found it uninteresting

This is a little unfair or me. Maybe not "uninteresting" as "less interesting than tre hype would lead you to believe."

 

[Bandersnatch]

I'm pretty sure we had Lawrence Krauss in a drive-by posting. As usual, though, fame is in the eye of the beholder.

He also apparently recommended us at least once:

AFAIR, He does occasionally do that in his podcast's AMAs. But with the caveat that it's just a forum, so the quality of answers may vary (as you never sure if you're not being taught *cough* cosmology by a high school graduate *cough*). Also, the people he redirects here often seem to have the kind of questions/attitude that would result in a ban, or at least frustration.It's my entirely subjective perception that celebrity boffins don't see internet forums as an especially productive way to spend their time. I'm guessing professional fame opens avenues for better ways of communication - whether with one's peers or the general public. Conferences, public talks, podcasts, books. Who's got time to click through random postings.

 

[Vanadium 50]

fame is in the eye of the beholder

"Famous" is not exactly the same as "notorious:,

 

[Bandersnatch]

I'm not sure eventual notoriety erases past fame. I know him mainly as a populariser.

 

[fresh_42]

 

[strangerep]

I would love to see this thread if you have a link.

I did a quick search, but failed to find it.

OTOH, maybe people should be allowed to let their past peccadilos fade into the mists of time, even if they are media sl$\vee$ts.

 

[jack action]

The OP should clarify.

Seems pretty clear to me:

Have any famous or well known scientists [...]

 

[PhDeezNutz]

sl$\vee$ts.

I think this is the best way to describe such people. I'll refrain from going on a full blown tirade.

 

[Hornbein]

I think this is the best way to describe such people. I'll refrain from going on a full blown tirade.

I once heard Kaku hold forth on quantum computing. I thought, "dang, I don't know much but it's more than this guy's got." His grooming is however far superior to mine, so I guess he deserves his fame.

 

[MidgetDwarf]

View attachment 319931

Who is the blonde!. Need to know for research purposes.

 

[julian]

Appearances can be deceiving, Mr Bean has a master's degree in electrical engineering.

 

[julian]

I've just remembered, there's this BBC children's programme called Blue Peter which featured the "science sisters" for a while. I was actually doing my PhD with one of the science sisters at the time! It was so surreal to see her on TV. Blue Peter encouraged you to write in with questions. I remember writing a letter in my best crayon handwriting - some question to do with renormalisation of the non-linear sigma model. It didn't get featured on the programme.

The science sisters ended up breaking up - possibly after one of the sisters marrying one the resident experts on the programme. I cant remember the details.

 

[PhDeezNutz]

Who is the blonde!. Need to know for research purposes.

I have 2 approximate solutions to your question. PM’d. If you get a more precise solution let me know.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Seems pretty clear to me:

Is Lev Okun famous?
Is Jack Steinberger?
Is Rush Holt?
Is Rick Field?

Will everybody agree?

 

[BWV]

What about all the people who joined to share their pet theories, were banned and their discoveries were later vindicated and they became known as the next Einstein?

 

[jack action]

Is Lev Okun famous?
Is Jack Steinberger?
Is Rush Holt?
Is Rick Field?

Will everybody agree?

The point is that you asked if "famous" and "celebrity" are supposed to be synonymous in this context. The OP clearly says "famous OR well-known" and "well-known" is clearly a synonym for "celebrity".

But to answer your question:

Lev Okun -> Famous? Probably among his peers; Well-known? I would say no.
Jack Steinberger -> Famous and well-known? I think having a Nobel Prize puts you in both categories.
Rush Holt (Jr.) -> Famous? I don't know; Well-known? Being a politician at the federal level for 16 years puts you in that category.
Rick Field -> Famous and well-known? I would say no. But his sister is, although not a physicist.

 

[berkeman]

Jack Steinberger

Fascinating biography!

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1988/steinberger/biographical/

 

[dsaun777]

68 cites isn't "didnt pan out". It's "the community found it uninteresting". One can always fit the SM into a big enough group. The trick is to find a group that makes the theory restrictive enough to make predictions,. To pick another theory that "didn't pan out", Pati-Salam had 3000 or so cites. The difference is that the physics community found that paper interesting. (It taught the world how to create GUTs)

There are a half dozen or dozen people on PF with a stronger publishing record. Do they nolt count because they aren't "surfer dudes"? The OP should clarify. (But he seems to have wandered away)

Sorry, I am back now. Thanks for all the responses I was unaware of the scientists that have visited here. Very cool!! And I am interested in those who are well known to the general public as well as any scientist that has a big reputation among their peers. I am impressed that Brian Cox and Sean Carroll paid a visit here even if they were just flogging a book. I just would like to see people of all walks of the physics/science community, either BBC-special famous or highly published scientist, be apart of this forum. It would make it a cooler place for aspiring young scientists to hang out if there was some well known names that they ask questions to. Not that any of you who already do so aren't cool.

 

[strangerep]

[...] It would make [PF] a cooler place for aspiring young scientists to hang out if there was some well known names that they ask questions to.

That's probably why they don't stick around.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Fascinating biography!

There's more.

His Nobel prize medal is in the trophy case of New Trier High School, in suburban Chicago. He traded it for a sweatshirt (which he wore constantly, weather permitting)

 

[berkeman]

Wow.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

even if they are media sl$\vee$ts.

I've read that Kaku makes around $25,000 for a typical TV appearance.

 

[Tom.G]

I just would like to see people of all walks of the physics/science community, ...... be apart of this forum.

That's probably why they don't stick around.

Interesting typo, @dsaun777 got his wish. ('spaces' do count!)