The Physicists

This is a readable history of "modern" physics, mainly focused on the science and politics of nuclear weapons but covering atomic physics from Rutherford up to 1980 - no superstrings here. I think it's too superficial to really explain much of the physics to complete novices but covers the history and personalities well enough, given the time of writing. But...

In an introduction it is mentioned that Snow wrote this "from memory," which turns out to be a problem for me. There is no form of reference to sources or even a bibliography, so it's impossible to know where Snow's memories originate; personal experience, historical research, hear-say? Dunno. That's no good for me. I particularly wanted to know the basis for his statements about show more Heisenberg. I didn't catch Snow in any mistakes but I've no way to easily check. show less

The introduction tells us that Snow wrote this from memory just before he died and was unable to finish it. It is astonishing to think of someone being part of/an observer at such a critical time for science and humanity in general. That's not to say there aren't gaps in this history, but even allowing for those, snow weaves an extraordinary tale of what is a relatively (sorry!) group of individuals and they impact they had on physicas and our future. As always with Snow, it's eminately readable, both in the scientific explanation and the narrative.

A published rough draft of the history of modern physics by someone who lived through its development. The book is well-bound, on good paper, with many excellent photographs. This history is grim as it sees the progress of modern physics as a decline from a happy golden age of great advances and international co-operation during the 20s and 30s to the grim years of WWII.

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General Observation:
Group photographs are interesting. A gathering of physicists in 1913; it looks like it's all men, but then you notice a funny hat and realize that one person in the back row is Marie Curie. The next group photo, from the Cavendish lab, show the women arranged and named show more specially; they seem like they have a separate status, perhaps as secretaries.

Detailed Review:

Introduction:

Discusses the origin of the book and one other interesting point. In a lecture, Snow had discussed the freedom of the scientist, freedom in their choice of work, freedom to share their results, freedom to move from one place to another. I don't think this freedom is so great as all that, although it may have been so for the physicists during their golden age. But then he says that this ideal of the life of a scientist is a reasonable ideal for a civilization of how life for everyone should be. It is far better as an ideal than mediaeval chivalry or scholasticism or the life of the Homeric warrior. These are some easy alternatives to beat --- given the filthiness and interpersonal violence of all three of these ideals. But, it also beats the more base pursuit of wealth, although I think he was quite naive not to notice that the vastly wealthy have plenty of freedom, as well. He's preening, after all all, with a doctorate in physical chemistry, he is one of the best class of people.

Chapter 1: The Direction of Time's Arrow
Argues that the most obvious sign of progress in human affairs is scientific advancement. States that in the arts their really isn't any progress. I don't agree with this. The invention of perspective is a kind of progress --- it influenced math and according to the author of "The Invention of Science" astronomy. And it is easy to see progress in the writing of science fiction and fantasy, at least in its sophistication but probably in the largeness and variety of its world view as well. Argues that, although Isaac Newton was, by common consent, the greatest scientist who ever lived, any adequate A-level student knows more about the way the world works than he did. I don't think that is true, either. There is certainly more known, by smart people, about the way the world works, than was known by Newton, of course, but Newton was really good at knowing stuff, and the adequate A-level student isn't. They can recite and regurgitate and recall, but knowing might be understood to mean a whole different sort of understanding of the way the world works. Maybe the word should have been "describe", not "know" and the statement would have seemed quite true.

Chapter 2: From Macrocosm to Microcosm
The turn from classical physics to modern physics. Snow tells us that it was precipitated by the discover of "cathode rays". In 1895 Roentgen discovers X-Rays and then Bequerel observes that uranium radiates. The Curies isolate radium. Atoms become interesting, because they seem to be able to change. In 1897, J. J. Thomson shows that cathode rays behave like very small charged particles, much smaller than even a single hydrogen atom. They are electrons and the idea that they are coming out of the atom, somehow, starts to catch on. It is J. J. Thompson who develops the plum pudding model of the atom. Once there is a strong agreement that sub-atomic particles exist, numerous talented physicists turn their attention to the subatomic world.

Chapter 3: Founding Fathers
Rutherford the great experimentalist and Einstein the great theoretician. Rutherford was a bit snotty about theoreticians, on occasion.

Chapter 4: The Quiet Dane
Niels Bohr enters the picture and develops a model of the atom which explains the spectrum of hydrogen and conforms to other work by Max Planck.

Chapter 5: The Golden Age show less