Will observing the history of physics change it?

July 29, 2009 3:44 PM

The Niels Bohr Library & Archives has completed a project to transcribe its collection of more than 500 oral histories of physics, including a few audio snippets of the interviews. And, if you'd like to put a face with that voice, check out the Emilio Segrè Visual Archives. [via]

A few highlights:
Luis Alvarez
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
Freeman Dyson
George Gamow
Werner Heisenberg
Steven Weinberg

posted by Horace Rumpole (9 comments total)

Obligatory Dresden Codak
posted by ubernostrum at 4:18 PM on July 29, 2009

Bohr-ing.
posted by GuyZero at 4:27 PM on July 29, 2009

Chandrasekhar-alicious.

No, cool!
posted by Dumsnill at 5:18 PM on July 29, 2009 [1 favorite]

"Help, I'm trapped in a Werner Heisenberg transcription sweatshop."
posted by Devils Rancher at 5:31 PM on July 29, 2009 [2 favorites]

Bohr-ing.

There are infinite parallel worlds in which that joke hasn't been made before.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 5:40 PM on July 29, 2009

"Help, I'm trapped in a Werner Heisenberg transcription sweatshop."

And we are both alive and dead at the same time until you open the door.
posted by qvantamon at 5:44 PM on July 29, 2009

And I'm a commenter without qualities. (No, really, I have so many qualities they cancel each other out.)
posted by Dumsnill at 5:49 PM on July 29, 2009

This is some kind of synchronicity brought on by the fact that I'm currently reading Copenhagen, isn't it?
posted by vibrotronica at 8:34 PM on July 29, 2009

One of the many reasons these interviews fascinate me is that they show the important role in groups of smart people coming together to discuss difficult, complex ideas and how those discussions fostered further insight. There is a tremendous power in collaboration.

Thanks for the post. I wouldn't have stumbled across this and now will spend a lot of time reading, learning, and being inspired.
posted by Edward L at 8:43 AM on July 30, 2009