Synopses & Reviews
A new intellectual biography of Ernest Rutherford, the twentieth century's greatest experimental physicist.
Ernest Rutherford, who grew up in colonial New Zealand and came to Cambridge on a scholarship, made numerous revolutionary discoveries, among them the orbital structure of the atom and the concept of the half-life of radioactive materials, which led to a massive reevaluation of the age of the earth, previously judged just 100 million years old. Above all, perhaps, Rutherford and the young men working under him were the first to split the atom, unlocking tremendous forces; forces, as Rutherford himself predicted, that would bring us the atomic bomb.
Rutherford, awarded a Nobel Prize and made Baron Rutherford by the queen of England, was also a great ambassador of science, coming to the aid of colleagues caught in the Nazi and Soviet regimes. Under Rutherford's rigorous and boisterous direction, a whole new generation of remarkable physicists emerged. In Richard Reeves's hands, Rutherford leaps off the page, a ruddy, genial man and a towering figure in scientific history.
Synopsis
A new intellectual biography of Ernest Rutherford, the twentieth century's greatest experimental physicist.
Synopsis
Ernest Rutherford, who grew up in colonial NewZealand and came to Cambridge on a scholarship,made numerous revolutionary discoveries, amongthem the orbital structure of the atom and theconcept of the half-life of radioactivematerials, which led to a massive reevaluationof the age of the earth-previously judged just100 million years old. Above all, perhaps,Rutherford and the young men working under himwere the first to split the atom, unlockingtremendous forces-forces, as Rutherford himselfpredicted, that would bring us the atomicbomb.Rutherford, awarded a Nobel Prize andmade Baron Rutherford by the queen of England,was also a great ambassador of science, comingto the aid of colleagues caught in the Nazi andSoviet regimes. Under Rutherford's rigorous andboisterous direction, a whole new generation ofremarkable physicists emerged. In Richard Re'shands, Rutherford leaps off the page, a ruddy,genial man and a towering figure in scientifichistory.
Synopsis
"Starred Review. Reeves deploys his considerable writing skill in portraying Rutherford's personality ... capturing the full aspect of the man."'"Booklist
About the Author
Richard Reeves, an award-winning historian and columnist, is the author of many books, including President Reagan: The Triumph of Imagination. He is a senior lecturer at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California. He splits his time between New York City and Santa Monica, California.
Tech Q&A
Read the Tech Q&A with Richard Reeves