California Studies in the History of Science – serie

The Radiation Laboratory in Berkeley, California, was the birthplace of particle accelerators, radioisotopes, and modern big science. This first volume of its history is a saga of physics and finance in the Great Depression, when a new kind of science was born. Here we learn how Ernest Lawrence used local and national technological, economic, and manpower resources to build the cyclotron, which enabled scientists to produce high-voltage particles without high voltages. The cyclotron brought Lawrence forcibly and permanently to the attention of leaders of international physics in Brussels at the Solvay Congress of 1933. Ever since, the Rad Lab has played a prominent part on the world stage. The book tells of the birth of nuclear chemistry and nuclear medicine in the Laboratory, the discoveries of new isotopes and the transuranic elements, the construction of the ultimate cyclotron, Lawrence's Nobel Prize, and the energy, enthusiasm, and enterprise of Laboratory staff. Two more volumes are planned to carry the story through the Second World War, the establishment of the system of national laboratories, and the loss of Berkeley's dominance of high-energy physics.

In 1633 the Roman Inquisition concluded the trial of Galileo Galilei with a condemnation for heresy. The trial was itself the climax of a series of events which began two decades earlier (in 1613) and included another series of Inquisition proceedings in 1615-1616. Besides marking the end of the controversy that defines the original episode, the condemnation of 1633 also marks the beginning of another classic controversy-about the Galileo affair, its causes, its implications, and its lessons; about whether, for example, John Milton was right when in the Areopagitica he commented on his visit to Galileo in Florence by saying: "There it was that I found and visited the famous Galileo, grown old a prisoner to the Inquisition, for thinking in astronomy otherwise than the Franciscan and Dominican licensers thought." I happen to be extremely interested in this second story and second controversy, and a critical interpretation of the affair remains one of my ultimate goals. But that is not the subject of the present work, which is rather concerned with something more fundamental, namely with the documentation of the original episode.To be more exact, the aim of this book is to provide a documentary history of the series of developments which began in 1613 and culminated in 1633 with the trial and condemnation of Galileo. That is, it aims to provide a collection of the essential texts and documents containing information about both the key events and the key issues. The documents have been translated into English from the original languages, primarily Italian and partly Latin; they have been selected, are arranged, annotated, introduced, and otherwise edited with the following guiding principles in mind: to make the book as self-contained as possible and to minimize contentious interpretation and evaluation. The Galileo affair is such a controversial and important topic that one needs a sourcebook from which to learn firsthand about the events and the issues; since no adequate volume of the kind exists, this work attempts to fill the lacuna. The originals of the documents translated and collected here can all be found in printed sources. In fact, with one exception they are all contained in the twenty volumes of the National Edition of Galileo's works, edited by Antonio Favaro and first published in 1890-1909.The exception is the recently discovered "Anonymous Complaint About The Assayer," whose original was discovered and first published in 1983 by Pietro Redondi; this document is also contained in the critical edition of the Inquisition proceedings edited by Sergio M. Pagano and published in 1984 by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. My selection was affected partly by the criterion of importance insofar as I chose documents that I felt to be (more or less) essential. Since I was also influenced by the double focus of this documentary history on events and issues, I therefore included two types of documents: the first consists of relatively short documents which are mostly either Inquisition proceedings (Chapters V and IX) or letters (Chapters I, VII, and VIII) and which primarily (though not exclusively) record various occurrences; the second type consists of longer essays by Galileo (Chapters II, Ill, IV, and VI) which discuss many of the central scientific and philosophical issues and have intrinsic importance independent of the affair.Finally, my goal of maximizing the autonomy of this volume suggested another reason for including some of these longer informative essays on the scientific issues (Chapters IV and VI).

Aided by personal documents and institutional archives that were closed for decades, this book recounts the development of physics - or, more aptly, science under stress - in Soviet Russia up to World War II. Focusing on Leningrad, center of Soviet physics until the late 1930s, Josephson discusses the impact of scientific, cultural, and political revolution on physicists' research and professional aspirations. Political and social revolution in Russia threatened to confound the scientific revolution. Physicists eager to investigate new concepts of space, energy, light, and motion were forced to accommodate dialectical materialism and subordinate their interests to those of the state. They ultimately faced Stalinist purges and the shift of physics leadership to Moscow. This account of scientists cut off from their Western colleagues reveals a little-known part of the history of modern physics.

Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-1894) was a polymath of dazzling intellectual range and energy. Renowned for his co-discovery of the second law of thermodynamics and his invention of the ophthalmoscope, Helmholtz also made many other contributions to physiology, physical theory, philosophy of science and mathematics, and aesthetic thought. During the late nineteenth century, Helmholtz was revered as a scientist-sage - much like Albert Einstein in this century. David Cahan has assembled an outstanding group of European and North American historians of science and philosophy for this intellectual biography of Helmholtz, the first ever to critically assess both his published and unpublished writings. It represents a significant contribution not only to Helmholtz scholarship but also to the history of nineteenth-century science and philosophy in general.

Lise Meitner (1878-1968) was a pioneer of nuclear physics and co-discoverer, with Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann, of nuclear fission. Braving the sexism of the scientific world, she joined the prestigious Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Chemistry and became a prominent member of the international physics community. Of Jewish origin, Meitner fled Nazi Germany for Stockholm in 1938 and later moved to Cambridge, England. Her career was shattered when she fled Germany, and her scientific reputation was damaged when Hahn took full credit - and the 1944 Nobel Prize - for the work they had done together on nuclear fission. Ruth Sime's absorbing book is the definitive biography of Lise Meitner, the story of a brilliant woman whose extraordinary life illustrates not only the dramatic scientific progress but also the injustice and destruction that have marked the twentieth century.

From c-Numbers to q-Numbers: The Classical Analogy in the History of Quantum Theory explores the critical role of classical analogies in the development of quantum theory, examining how key figures such as Planck, Bohr, Heisenberg, and Dirac employed these analogies to bridge the gap between classical and quantum mechanics. At the heart of the book is the idea that quantum mechanics, while radically different from classical theories, still relies heavily on formal structures and mathematical procedures inherited from classical physics. By analyzing three major stages in quantum theory—Planck's radiation theory, Bohr's atomic theory, and Dirac's quantum mechanics—the book reveals how analogies with classical theories not only facilitated the formation of quantum ideas but also provided a framework that allowed quantum mechanics to evolve from classical roots.The book identifies four distinct types of classical analogies: Planck's horizontal analogy, which merely extended classical methods; Bohr's vertical analogies, which involved more direct, though incomplete, translations of classical laws; Heisenberg's and Dirac's analogies, which mathematically aligned classical and quantum mechanics; and Dirac's use of relativistic strategies for theory-building. These analogies were essential in navigating the intellectual challenges of quantum mechanics, especially in the absence of complete theories. The study underscores the continuity between classical and quantum physics, illustrating how quantum theory, through its innovative use of mathematical formalisms, preserved the elegance of classical mechanics while embracing new, non-intuitive principles. This approach shows that the construction of quantum theory was deeply intertwined with classical precedents, allowing quantum mechanics to mature while maintaining connections to earlier frameworks of understanding.This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1992.

Explore the critical juncture in modern history when nuclear technology transitioned from secretive military innovation to a defining force in global politics, economics, and society. Atoms for Peace and War: Eisenhower and the Atomic Energy Commission, 1953–1961 provides a comprehensive narrative of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s pivotal role in shaping nuclear policy during a transformative era. This authoritative account examines the evolution of atomic energy within the United States, charting its profound impact on military strategy, international diplomacy, and domestic economic development.Spanning the years from Eisenhower’s secretive 1952 pre-inauguration briefing on nuclear technology to the conclusion of his presidency in 1961, this meticulously researched book delves into the operations of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), the debates over nuclear testing, and the challenges of international cooperation in the nuclear age. The work sheds light on groundbreaking initiatives like the "Atoms for Peace" program, the revision of the Atomic Energy Act, and efforts to promote nuclear power, while also addressing the controversies surrounding nuclear fallout, disarmament, and the revocation of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s security clearance.Based on unprecedented access to classified materials from the Eisenhower Presidential Library, the AEC archives, and Department of State records, this volume offers unparalleled insight into the policy decisions, technological advancements, and ethical dilemmas that defined an era. A compelling blend of technical analysis and historical narrative, Atoms for Peace and War is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the origins of nuclear policy and its enduring implications for the modern world.This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1989.

From c-Numbers to q-Numbers: The Classical Analogy in the History of Quantum Theory explores the critical role of classical analogies in the development of quantum theory, examining how key figures such as Planck, Bohr, Heisenberg, and Dirac employed these analogies to bridge the gap between classical and quantum mechanics. At the heart of the book is the idea that quantum mechanics, while radically different from classical theories, still relies heavily on formal structures and mathematical procedures inherited from classical physics. By analyzing three major stages in quantum theory—Planck's radiation theory, Bohr's atomic theory, and Dirac's quantum mechanics—the book reveals how analogies with classical theories not only facilitated the formation of quantum ideas but also provided a framework that allowed quantum mechanics to evolve from classical roots.The book identifies four distinct types of classical analogies: Planck's horizontal analogy, which merely extended classical methods; Bohr's vertical analogies, which involved more direct, though incomplete, translations of classical laws; Heisenberg's and Dirac's analogies, which mathematically aligned classical and quantum mechanics; and Dirac's use of relativistic strategies for theory-building. These analogies were essential in navigating the intellectual challenges of quantum mechanics, especially in the absence of complete theories. The study underscores the continuity between classical and quantum physics, illustrating how quantum theory, through its innovative use of mathematical formalisms, preserved the elegance of classical mechanics while embracing new, non-intuitive principles. This approach shows that the construction of quantum theory was deeply intertwined with classical precedents, allowing quantum mechanics to mature while maintaining connections to earlier frameworks of understanding.This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1992.