Author: SEGRE, GINO
Title: Faust in Copenhagen : a struggle for the soul of physics
Description: New York : Viking 2007. First Edition. An exceptional copy; fine in an equally fine dw. now mylar-sleeved. Particularly and surprisingly well-preserved; tight. bright. clean and especially sharp-cornered. Literally as new.; 310 pages; Description: x. 310 p. : ill. ; 24 cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. [293]-297) and index. Subjects: Physicists --Intellectual life. Quantum theory --History --20th century. Summary: Known to 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 discoveries--which presaged the era of big science and nuclear bombs--Europe was moving inexorably toward totalitarianism and war. In April of that year. about forty of the world's leading physicists--including Werner Heisenberg. Lise Meitner. and Paul Dirac--came to Niels Bohr's Copenhagen Institute for their annual informal meeting about the frontiers of physics. Physicist Gino Segre brings to life this historic gathering. which ended with a humorous skit based on Goethe's Faust--little knowing 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. Segre evokes the moment when physics--and the world--was about to lose its innocence. by Gino Segre.Weight in Kg appr.:

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