Robert Oppenheimer: biography and photos

"I need Physics more than friends", once said a famous American scientist. "Father of the atomic bomb" Robert Oppenheimer so called compatriots have devoted their lives to research. He suffered from depression, was a man of very eccentric, his interests were not limited to physics. The story of Julius Robert Oppenheimer is discussed in this article.

Childhood

Robert Oppenheimer was born in 1904 in new York. His father was a native of Germany, was engaged in sale of fabrics. In addition, Oppenheimer senior has gained throughout his life pattern, gathered a superb collection, which includes even paintings by van Gogh. The mother of the future scientist taught painting. She died young, her death has devastated inner world of the son. One of the compilers biography of Robert Oppenheimer suggested that some refinement of the scientist and his interest in art caused by nothing other than the desire to preserve the image of the mother.

At the age of five years, the hero of today's story began to collect mineral samples. A gift from his grandfather he received a wonderful collection of stones. When he was eleven, he was admitted to the mineralogical club. After graduation, he enrolled at Harvard University.

Youth

Robert Oppenheimer dreamed from an early age to become a physicist. Initially, he planned to deal with the chemistry, furthermore, he was attracted by poetry and architecture. This scientist was kind versatile developed. His interests covered the exact and human Sciences. He studied physics, chemistry, Greek and Latin in his youth he wrote poetry.

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Fascination with Eastern philosophy

He astounded people by his intellectual alertness, and high work capacity. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, during one of his visits in just a few hours, he read the monograph by the English historian dedicated to the collapse of the Roman Empire. Was once impressed colleagues that suddenly began to lecture in Dutch. But nothing could satisfy the thirst of knowledge of Oppenheimer. Later, he began to study Buddhism, Indian philosophy. Moreover, passion for Sanskrit.

“I – destroyer of worlds" - J. Robert Oppenheimer once said this odious phrase. She became one of his most famous sayings. The quote Robert Oppenheimer learned from the writings of the Indian philosopher. About why an American scientist called himself the destroyer of worlds, is discussed below.

Europe

Harvard University J. Robert Oppenheimer graduated in 1925. Moreover the standard course, he was not over four, and for three years. After went to Europe, where he continued his education. The fame of the universities of the Old world had not yet faded on the background of rich American laboratories. Many U.S. students have sought education in Europe.

Oppenheimer was accepted into Cambridge University. Here he began work in the Cavendish laboratory. Its leader was a scientist Retardant, which the students called somehow “crocodile”. By the way, one of the disciples of the teacher with the strange nickname was Peter Kapitsa. Oppenheimer differed from their comrades incredible abilities in conducting theoretical and experimental research.

In the Cavendish laboratory as a young American have witnessed the incredible struggle led by scientists, in order to achieve from sponsors and the government of expensive, sophisticated equipment needed for research.

Soon, Oppenheimer received an invitation to the University of Georgia Augusta. This place was famous above all eminent mathematicians, among whom was the famous Friedrich Gauss. University of George Augusta was considered a scientific center, where he performed a revolution in physics.

In 1927, Oppenheimer passed the exams. For all subjects except for organic chemistry, he received “excellent”. Thesis defended brilliantly. Max born described the work of the beginning of the academic is very high, noted that it significantly exceeds the level of the standard of the thesis.

Quantum revolution

Of Course, in modern physics, Robert Oppenheimer played a significant role, in contrast to schrödinger, Curie, Einstein. Moreover, he did not make significant scientific discoveries. However, no scientist like Oppenheimer was able to understand the role of the quantum revolution and its possibilities to such an extent, as did the hero of the article. He conducted numerous experimental and theoretical studies, have discovered new properties of matter, published a lot of reports on this topic. Oppenheimer has made a significant contribution in modern physics, which was built in the first half of the twentieth century. He was a talented teacher, popularizer of the new theories.

Even in the brief biographyRobert Oppenheimer indicated an important fact about him: he was one of the leading American developers of nuclear weapons. That is why it is called ‘father of the atomic bomb”. It was first tested in 1945 in new Mexico. Then the scientist got an idea to compare yourself with the destroyer of worlds.

Linus Pauling

In 1928, Oppenheimer became close friends with the famous American chemist. Together, they planned the organization of research in the field of chemical communication. Polling in this area was pioneering. Oppenheimer had to deal with the mathematical part. However, the ideas scientists have not been implemented. Chemist began to suspect that the relationship of colleagues and his wife are getting too close. He refused further cooperation, and when Oppenheimer later invited him to lead the Chemical division, refused, citing his pacifist views.

Personal life

In 1936 by Robert Oppenheimer began an affair with Jean Tatlock. The girl at the time he studied at Stanford medical school. It is noteworthy that their relationship originated on the basis of shared political views. With Tetlock scientist broke up three years after they met. Then he started a relationship with a student at UC Berkeley and former member of the Communist party of Katherine Harrison. At that time the girl was married. When I found out that she is pregnant by Oppenheimer, divorced. Their wedding took place in November 1940. Being married, Oppenheimer resumed relations with his former lover Jean Tatlock.

There is a theory that the wife of the scientist Kathryn Harrison was a special agent of Soviet intelligence. And in America it was precisely to enter into relationship with Robert Oppenheimer. This view was expressed in his memoirs, Soviet spy and saboteur Pavel Sudoplatov. In doubt and Jin Tatlock, who also had a relationship with members of the Communist party. It is worth saying that in the circles of American scholars in those years, a scout from the Soviet Union was almost every third person.

Political activity

In the twenties Oppenheimer was not interested in politics. According to his statements, he was not reading Newspapers, not listening to the radio. For example, the collapse in stock prices that occurred in 1929, he learned a few months later. In the presidential election he first voted in 1936. In the mid-thirties he suddenly became interested in international relations. In 1934 he expressed a desire to donate a small portion of his salary in support of German scientists who were forced to leave the country because of the totalitarian regime. Sometimes Oppenheimer even appeared at rallies.

Access to the secret activities

American internal intelligence followed Robert Oppenheimer in the late thirties. Distrust scientist called because of their sympathy for the Communists. In addition, members of this party were his close relatives. In the early forties of the scientist was under close surveillance. His telephone conversations were being tapped. In the house of Oppenheimer was has handles.

In 1949, a scientist testified employees of the civil service, which was investigating UN-American activities. Oppenheimer admitted that in the early thirties had a relationship with the Communists. Underwent interrogation and his brother Frank, who was a physicist, but after the loud incident lost his job, went to Colorado, where he became a farmer. Robert Oppenheimer was dismissed from the secret activities. According to the materials of the archives of the KGB, he was not recruited by spying for the Soviet Union never engaged.

Recent years

Most of the time, since 1954, Robert Oppenheimer spent on the island of St. John. Here he purchased land, built a house. Scientist loved sailing with his daughter and his wife Katherine. Recent years it increasingly bothered by the question of the danger of scientific discoveries in the field of nuclear physics. He was completely devoid of political influence, but continued to lecture, to write a monograph.

In 1965, the famous theoretical physicist was diagnosed with cancer of the throat. He had chemotherapy, but the treatment had no effect. Robert Oppenheimer died in February 1967.