Who are the Greatest Physicists in this century?

[Twukwuw]

Last century we have Max Plank, Einstein, Heisenberg, Bohr, Schrodingers, de Broglie, Fermi and so on (so many!) great physicisys.

So, who do we have in this century?

Stephen Hawking?

 

[Rach3]

Me, of course.

 

[sid_galt]

We had Hans Bethe. Too bad he died last year. But still, he was alive in this century.

 

[franznietzsche]

In terms of accomplishments in this century? Not Hawking.


Its a bit early for asking that. Come back in 80 years.

 

[Curious3141]

For all you know, Zefram Cochrane would've invented warp drive before the century's out, so ask again in 90+ years.

 

[Twukwuw]

so, today, we have NO physicists ranked at the same height as those I listed (Max Plank ... ...)

Am I right?

Why not Stephen Hawking?
People said he is today's Einstein!

 

[Geographer]

She hasn't necessarily done great things as far as I'm aware, but one of my favourite scientists at the moment is Kathy Sykes, a British physicist. :!)

As far as the greatest physicist right now, I honestly don't know.

 

[franznietzsche]

Why not Stephen Hawking?
People said he is today's Einstein!

Ummm, no. He wrote a pop-science book and it made him famous. Granted, he is certainly a good physicist (You don't get to be Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge for nothing) but he is not in the league of say Bohr, Schrodinger, Feynman, Einstein, Fermi, or any of the major pioneers from the early part of this century.

And as a side issue: People said? Who said? Who are these mythical 'people'?

 

[SpaceTiger]

No accomplishment in physics could possibly be judged for its greatness with only 6 years of hindsight, especially if you're comparing to the likes of Einstein and Bohr.

 

[scott1]

Ummm, no. He wrote a pop-science book and it made him famous. Granted, he is certainly a good physicist (You don't get to be Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge for nothing) but he is not in the league of say Bohr, Schrodinger, Feynman, Einstein, Fermi, or any of the major pioneers from the early part of this century.

I disagree. His work on black holes was very importent in physics he came up with Hawking radition which chaged the our understanding of black holes we thought nothing would come out but then Hawking found a way that somthing does come out.

I think Einstien the greatest physicst of the 20th centrey(it's too early to say who's the greatest of the 21st centrey.)

 

[Physics Nut]

Mark McCutcheon is the greatest physicist evar! (Or so he seems to claim.)

 

[neutrino]

And as a side issue: People said? Who said? Who are these mythical 'people'?

Not mythical, but they call themselves journalists.

 

[neutrino]

Btw, has anybody thought about the "fact" that all "Great Physicists" have been theorists, at least by appearance of the OP's list. Has nobody in the past century come up with an ingenious experiment to detect something?

 

[Gokul43201]

Has nobody in the past century come up with an ingenious experiment to detect something?

Many have...but experimental physics is a lot less sexy than theoretical physics. To set up an experiment from scratch often takes several years and costs a lot of money. And it's not fun to write about either.

Some of the biggest experimental contributions in the last few decades :

Cornell, Wieman, Ketterle - making BECs

Stormer, Tsui, von Klitzing - discovering the Quantum Hall effects

Osheroff, Lee, Richardson - discovering fermionic superfluidity

Perl, Reines - detecting the tau lepton and neutrino

Bednorz & Muller - discovering Superconductivity

Ruska - inventing the electron microscope

Cockroft & Walton - nuclear transmutation

Lawrence - inventing the cyclotron

...

...and then there was Fermi !

 

[ZapperZ]

Bednorz & Muller - discovering Superconductivity

Not to be picky, but I think Gokul meant "Discovering high-Tc superconductivity". Superconductivity was discovered by H. Kamerlingh Onnes.

On a separate note, I always wonder why people ask questions such as this, as in what purpose does it serve? To glorify a certain physicist? And as expected, I am not surprised by the glaring omission of the only person who was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics twice.

Zz.

 

[Geographer]

I suppose it's just for the sake of conversation, Zz. It's also good for newcomers, such as myself, to see who are the great physicists.

Anyway, Kathy:

http://www.bris.ac.uk/ias/collier/rc-kathy.jpg

 

[George Jones]

Sorry neutrino, I have to disagree. There is one good experimentalist on the OP's list. The list also includes someone who was quite a good soccer player, although his mathematician brother was even better.

Also, Hawking on Hawking: "Instead, almost everyone believes that the universe, and time itself had a beginning at the big bang. This is a discovery far more important than a few miscellaneous unstable particles, but not one that has been so well recognized by Nobel prizes."

ZapperZ: Do you think your bard is the best bard?

Regards,
George

 

[Gokul43201]

Sorry neutrino, I have to disagree. There is one good experimentalist on the OP's list.

That's still only ONE. No doubt, he was a genius of another kind altogether, possessing theoretical insight and experimental brilliance.

The list also includes someone who was quite a good soccer player, although his mathematician brother was even better.

And big brother was tutored by arguably the best experimentalist there was.

ZapperZ: Do you think your bard is the best bard?

There's more than one bard ? (not Sam Treiman is it ?)

 

[George Jones]

There's more than one bard ? (not Sam Treiman is it ?)

I was just being silly, playing with words.

For me, there is only one bard - Shakespeare.

Regards,
George

 

[ZapperZ]

ZapperZ: Do you think your bard is the best bard?

Regards,
George

No, because that criteria on what is "best" is vague. Just like the thread on General Physics on the question "Is energy and matter the SAME thing", what criteria does one use in such a thing? Impact? Number of Nobel Prizes? Number of citations? What?

I don't play this "best" game, because it is (i)subjective (ii)meaningless, and (iii) demeaning to others in the field who are making important contributions but the work does not have the "sexyness" to garner front-page news in popular media. Next time your loved ones require an MRI to diagnose an important disease, would you then consider those who have pioneered and made advances in MRI and NMR as the important and "best" physicists?

I have no interest in trumpeting those household names. I will, however, point out the many men and women who have made terrific and significant contributions to the field of physics that have been glaringly overlooked.

Zz.

 

[George Jones]

No, because that criteria on what is "best" is vague. Just like the thread on General Physics on the question "Is energy and matter the SAME thing", what criteria does one use in such a thing? Impact? Number of Nobel Prizes? Number of citations? What?

Can't you see that I was just playing around, in part because I, too, think there no objective criteria?

I don't play this "best" game, because it is (i)subjective (ii)meaningless, and (iii) demeaning to others in the field who are making important contributions but the work does not have the "sexyness" to garner front-page news in popular media.

Promotion and self-promotion definitely come into play, hence my quote by Hawking.

Next time your loved ones require an MRI to diagnose an important disease, would you then consider those who have pioneered and made advances in MRI and NMR as the important and "best" physicists?

Is this directed at me? Wow?

I have no interest in trumpeting those household names. I will, however, point out the many men and women who have made terrific and significant contributions to the field of physics that have been glaringly overlooked.

You can't possibly mean this. According to your reasoning

no objective criteria => no list => no omissions!

Regards,
George

PS Don't get all hot under the collar - I'm just having you on.

 

[Rach3]

And as expected, I am not surprised by the glaring omission of the only person who was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics twice.

Zz.

No one is interested in superconductors, or transistors.

 

[Curious3141]

On a separate note, I always wonder why people ask questions such as this, as in what purpose does it serve? To glorify a certain physicist? And as expected, I am not surprised by the glaring omission of the only person who was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics twice.

Zz.

Apart from John Bardeen, Marie Curie was also awarded the Prize twice - once for Physics and once for Chemistry.

 

[scott1]

Mark McCutcheon is the greatest physicist evar! (Or so he seems to claim.)

He's such a good physicst that he can't be physicst since he started a new physics that he is in complete control of infact he's not even a secientist!

 

[Rach3]

He's such a good physicst that he can't be physicst since he started a new physics that he is in complete control of infact he's not even a secientist !

For the love of humanity use spellcheck.

 

[Bladibla]

Apart from John Bardeen, Marie Curie was also awarded the Prize twice - once for Physics and once for Chemistry.

He said 'In physics'.

 

[Bladibla]

No one is interested in superconductors, or transistors.

Noone might be, but the fact that some people are interested should be a thankful fact for the rest of people. Otherwise, A LOT of electrical fancy tuff you have in your house now would be unavaliable.

 

[Curious3141]

He said 'In physics'.

I know what he said, I was just making an observation.

 

[Rach3]

No one is interested in superconductors, or transistors.

Noone might be, but the fact that some people are interested should be a thankful fact for the rest of people. Otherwise, A LOT of electrical fancy tuff you have in your house now would be unavaliable.

That was the most obvious, easy-to-get sarcasm in the world. Honestly - superconductors? Transistors? Unimportant? I even included a little smiley icon with a "wink" feature.

 

[Rach3]

Thread Locked!

 

[Schrodinger's Dog]

For the love of humanity use spellcheck.

You know I've just nowticed ther is a spell checker on this web site? I've been mowning about having no spell checker for a wile and not one person pointed this owt Plenty of people pointed out my crappy spealing thow

Modestly speaking I'd say I'm not going to be a big wheel in the physics world, might of left it too late, although of course in the world of milk I am set to be a cutting edge specialist and a guru, some might even say I'm a legend in my own lifetime

Whoever comes up with a practical working fusion engine will be big, if they can, or a quantum computer of sufficent aplication, or a hyper drive as was said. I'd settle for fusion for this century or antimatter drives, but then I'm easy, it's early days though.

 

[Bladibla]

That was the most obvious, easy-to-get sarcasm in the world. Honestly - superconductors? Transistors? Unimportant? I even included a little smiley icon with a "wink" feature.

Well, I have no humour in my life. Forgive me.

 

[J77]

She hasn't necessarily done great things as far as I'm aware, but one of my favourite scientists at the moment is Kathy Sykes, a British physicist. :!)

...but she's a professor of making science easier for the public

How's about Sir Michael Berry?

 

[shmoe]

The list also includes someone who was quite a good soccer player, although his mathematician brother was even better.

Any other famous(ish) physicists who played football at a high level? Any that made national teams?

I think the title of "Greatest Physicist" should be decided on the football pitch. Or maybe a boxing ring, who was the toughest physicist?

 

[Geographer]

...but she's a professor of making science easier for the public

How's about Sir Michael Berry?

She sure is

Berry's alright, too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Berry

 

[George Jones]

Or maybe a boxing ring, who was the toughest physicist?

Hubble was a good heavyweight boxer.

Regards,
George

 

[999]

Nikola Tesla is the greatest and will be so for the next 100 years at least.

Albert Einstein gave the world hot air and everybody knows him ?

 

[selfAdjoint]

Nikola Tesla is the greatest and will be so for the next 100 years at least.

Albert Einstein gave the world hot air and everybody knows him ?

Tesla was a good engineer, and a great showman, but nothing as a physicist. Einsteins's discoveries are in use every day, for example in the GPS gadgets we use now to track our locations, and his relativity theories continue to be the foundation of all kinds of physics. 999, attitude does not make up for lack of information.

 

[Manchot]

Einsteins's discoveries are in use every day, for example in the GPS gadgets we use now to track our locations, and his relativity theories continue to be the foundation of all kinds of physics.

I'd say that at this point in time, the transistor is used more than relativity. :) Seriously though, John Bardeen was awesome. His two Nobel prizes cover both experimental work (the transistor) and theoretical work (BCS theory). It just goes to show how varied his talents were.

 

[Gokul43201]

Tesla was a good engineer, and a great showman, but nothing as a physicist. Einsteins's discoveries are in use every day, for example in the GPS gadgets we use now to track our locations, and his relativity theories continue to be the foundation of all kinds of physics. ...

...to say nothing about his contributions to condensed matter physics - from an estimate of the Avogadro/Loschmidt Number to the laser equations, the phonon spectrum and heat capacity of insulators, the diffusion relations and mobilities of charge carriers in semiconductors, the statistics and condensation of bosons, and the photoelectric effect in metals, to name but a few.

 

[wolram]

I am sure Zapper will go down in history as the anti mickey mouse.

 

[Lisa!]

Ettore Majorana:!)

What happened to him?

 

[Gokul43201]

Ettore Majorana:!)

What happened to him?

It is said that he passed clean through the earth, and was lost from the other side, undetected!

PS: Serious though, I have no idea. All I know is that he disappeared shortly before the war, and if anything is known about his later whereabouts, I'm unaware of that.

 

[Chi Meson]

Nikola Tesla is the greatest and will be so for the next 100 years at least.

Albert Einstein gave the world hot air and everybody knows him ?

Trolling trolling trolling...

 

[Kurdt]

I don't think we could chose the greatest based on the last 6 years but I'd like to contribute the guy that I admire most and look up to as it were and that is Roger Penrose. He is the dude

 

[selfAdjoint]

Ettore Majorana:!)

What happened to him?

Check out this paper on the arxiv.

http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/physics/pdf/0605/0605001.pdf

Cool or crazy? We report; you decide.

 

[selfAdjoint]

My definition of physics for me is about controlling the ability to do work

for the benefit of mankind. If you think Einstein was so great ask yourself

what he gave to you that is more important than AC electricity, radio,

remote control, loosely based Telsa car soon to be released (Nikola's

car was better) http://www.teslamotors.com

Einstein is DEAD ... Tesla could not believe in his time how gullible

people were to follw this idiot and he was right.

He HELPED work out the problems of AC supply, he was not the originator of the idea. He DID NOT give us radio, and his work on remote control was not the source of our modern remote control. As for the magic Tesla car, I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[Chi Meson]

I heard that Tesla also invented cheese.

 

[humanino]

Check out this paper on the arxiv.

http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/physics/pdf/0605/0605001.pdf

It can't be serious, right ?
Well, it gave me a good laugh in any case

 

[.ultimate]

ZapperZ <- Great Person.