J. Robert OppenheimerRobert Oppenheimer (1904-1967) was a brilliant physicist and is widely regarded as the "father of the atomic bomb." He led the Manhattan Project, which succeeded in creating the world's first atomic bomb and played a decisive role in Hiroshima and Nagasaki** in 1945. His contributions not only changed the course of warfare, but also ushered in the atomic age, which had a profound impact on human civilization.
However, the physics genius did not win the Nobel Prize in Physics, much to the confusion and regret of many. Why didn't Oppenheimer win the Nobel Prize?What are the reasons and stories behind this?This article will reveal it for you.
Born too late
Oppenheimer was born in 1904, a few years after the founders of quantum mechanics, Heisenberg, Pauli, Schrödinger, Dirac, and others. This meant that he missed the first wave of the revolution in quantum mechanics and could only participate in the application and development of new theories. He published more than a dozen studies** before he was 25 years old, but most of them used some old and new experiments to observe the latest quantum theories, rather than proposing original theoretical ideas. While these works are also important, they are far less valuable than cutting-edge theories in the eyes of the Nobel Prize judges.
Lack of focus
Oppenheimer's knowledge and interests were wide-ranging, not only in physics, but also in philosophy, literature, history, art, and other fields. He would often jump from topic to topic, and would even put aside physics to read Proust or learn Sanskrit Xi. He also threw himself into popular left-wing politics, supporting the Communists in the Spanish Civil War. These hobbies distract him from his energy, and he has no patience to delve deeper into an issue, often stopping at the surface. Several of his work directions are at the Nobel Prize level, but he has not persevered, but has allowed those who come after him to make significant discoveries. For example, he proposed the existence of positrons in 1930, but there was no further verification, and it was not until two years later that Anderson discovered the positron and won the Nobel Prize. For another example, he published ** on neutron stars and black holes in 1938 and 1939, but they did not cause much repercussions, and it was not until the 70s of the 20th century that astronomers confirmed the existence of black holes.
Politics**
After the end of World War II, Oppenheimer opposed the United States to build a hydrogen bomb and advocated limiting the development and proliferation of nuclear weapons, which caused a serious conflict with the military and the United States. His left-wing tendencies and ties with the Communists were also used as a means of attacking him. In 1954, he was accused of being a Communist and was deprived of a security clearance to continue his research in nuclear physics. His fame and status plummeted, and he became a tragic figure. This kind of politics also affected the evaluation of him by the Nobel Prize judges, making him lose the opportunity to win the prize.
Oppenheimer was a complex and controversial figure, and his life was full of glory and sorrow. His contributions to physics and the creation of the atomic bomb are undeniable, but he was also not recognized for the Nobel Prize for various reasons. His story teaches us that scientists must not only be talented and creative, but also focused and persistent, while also facing social and political challenges. Oppenheimer's regret is also a human regret.
100 help plan