Joseph Polchinski has died

[Orodruin]

Sadly, theoretical physicist Joseph Polchinski has passed away at 63 after a longer struggle with cancer. Among many other contributions, Polchinski may be best known to students as the author of a series of textbooks on string theory.

 

[George Jones]

Very sad.

I found his autobiographical notes, "Memories of a Theoretical Physicist", to be a fascinating read.

https://arxiv.org/abs/1708.09093

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Someone cure cancer please!

 

[robphy]

https://www.quantamagazine.org/joe-polchinskis-restless-pursuit-of-quantum-gravity-20170807/

 

[phyzguy]

This is very sad. I knew Joe as an undergraduate at Caltech. We were not close, but I remember him. He was truly gifted.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

Someone cure cancer please!

My grandfather passed away after being defeated in maxillofacial cancer. His last days were really pathetic, too pathetic for me to write here.

Cancer doesn't discriminate between the rich and the poor, the scientist and the common man. Even if a person has passed away, his soul shall always be in this universe, as the soul cannot be burnt in fire, dried in air or wetted by water. Joseph Polchinski shall be alive in our memories forever.