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Faust in Copenhagen: A Struggle for the Soul of Physics
Faust in Copenhagen A Struggle for the Soul of Physics Author:Gino Segre A fascinating look at the landmark 1932 gathering of the biggest names in physics — Known by physicists as the miracle year, 1932 saw the discovery of the neutron and the first artificially induced nuclear transmutation. However, while physicists celebrated these momentous discoverieswhich presaged the era of big science ... more »and nuclear bombsEurope was moving inexorably toward totalitarianism and war. In April of that year, about forty of the world's leading physicistsincluding Werner Heisenberg, Lise Meitner, and Paul Diraccame to Niels Bohr's Copenhagen Institute for their annual informal meeting about the frontiers of physics.
Physicist Gino Segrč brings to life this historic gathering, which ended with a humorous skit based on Goethe's Fausta skit that eerily foreshadowed events that would soon unfold. Little did the scientists know the Faustian bargains they would face in the near future. Capturing the interplay between the great scientists as well as the discoveries they discussed and debated, Segrč evokes the moment when physicsand the worldwas about to lose its innocence.« less