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Richard Feynman Remembered: 1918-1988

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Richard Feynman Remembered: 1918-1988 The California Tech VOLUME LXXXIX NUMBER 17 PASADENA, CALIFORNIA FRIDAY 19 FEBRUARY 1988 Richard Feynman Remembered: 1918-1988 A Physicist A Friend by Randy Kamien by Astrid Golomb A numbness swept over cam­ Richard Phillips Feynman, pus Tuesday when it was learned a.k.a. Feinstein, a.k.a. God that Richard Feynman had passed Profat Caltech since 1951, b 11 away the previous night. There was May 1918 New York City; s of a feeling ofthe loss ofa treasure - a Melville Feynman and Lucille; m treasure beyond value. We were 1960 Gweneth Howarth, Rip­ told last Friday that Dr. Feynman ponden, Yorks. one s. Karl, one d. had become very weak and was Michelle, education Far Rockaway nearing the end. All weekend I HS, MIT, Princeton. Employment: reflected upon this turn of events radio repairman. and upon Feynman. Los Alamos, New Mexico Feynman has always been the atom bomb project 1943-1946. epitome of a physicist to me. The Cornell U. 1946-1951. Lec­ ideal physicist. The perfect exam­ turer at Hughes Research Labs ple. His insight and intuition allow­ since 1958. Consultant for Or­ ed him to perform miracles of in­ bisphere (Switzerland) and Think­ tellect. In physics, it is possible for ing Machines (Massachusetts). one man to do the work of one Member of Brazilian Academy of million. Dr. Feynman was one Sciences, Fellow (foreign) Royal such man. What secrets of the Society London 1965. Einstein universe must he have died with! Award 1954. Nobel Prize for Feynman's brilliance and im­ Physics (jointly) 1965. Oersted agination are well known. He in­ Medal 1972. Niels Bohr Interna­ vented the "sum over histories" ap­ tional Gold Medal 1973. Presiden­ proach to quantum mechanics, also tial Commission on the Space Shut­ known as the path integral ap­ tIe Challenger Accident, 1986. proach. This idea and methodology Publications: The Feynman is fundamental in the theory ofpar­ Lectures on Physics (with Leighton ticles, fields and statistical and Sands), many editions, stan­ mechanics. The paper which in­ dard text. The Character of troduces the path integral is Physical Law, 1965. Statistical characteristic of Feynman's papers Mechanics, 1972. Photon-Hadron and his approach to physics. It is Interactions, 1972. Surely You're not highly mathematical or Joking, Mr. Feynman, 1985, best technical. Feynman merely seller. QED: The Strange Theory presents the answer and justifies it. ofLight and Matter, 1985. Papers It was this approach which and scientific journals on quantum enabled him to perform calcula­ electrodynamics, liquid helium, tions with ease in the theory of theory of beta decay, and quantum electrons, positrons and photons­ chromodynamics. quantum electrodynamics. His use Created and awarded prizes for ofdiagrams gave physicists a con­ miniaturization of electric motors cise and intuitive algorithm for and text engraving. California State calculating physical processes. Curriculum Commission textbook Feynman diagrams have been ab­ review. sorbed into the language of parti­ Bongo drummer, frigideira cle physics. player with Rio de Janeiro Carnival With one problem solved, band. Feynman turned to meson physics. Artist: Exhibitions Athenaeum The physics ofthe nucleus has two Caltech, Bullocks Pasadena 1969. dynamical scales. The strong in­ Actor: Caltech Productions of teraction holds the nucleus together Guys and Dolls, The Lady's Notfor despite the tremendous repulsive Burning, Kismet, How to Succeed force between protons. The weak in Business... , and most interaction is responsible for the memorably as the Tribal Chief in beta decay of a nucleus. South Pacific, and as the Sewer Feynman turned his attention to Richard Feynman: the man, the teacher, the scientist, the the artist, the actor, the bongo-drummer. Hewill remain in King in The Madwoman of the weak interaction. With Pro­ the hearts and minds and memories of all who knew him, and his impact on humanity shall never diminish, Chaillot. fessor Murray Gell-Mann, he photo by Bob Paz please see FRIEND, page 2 . worked on the theory of the weak interaction, know as V-A. When a They are analogous to supercon­ particle with spin moves, it can be ductors. The style of his approach thought of as tracing out a helix. was perfect. An unsolved problem The handedness of the helix is was solved through insight follow­ A Legend During His Lifetime known as the helicity. Their theory ed with the technical ability to con­ predicted the helicity of the vince the world that he was right. [CPR] Nobel Laureate Richard Harvard, who had worked in­ 1985 best-seller, Surely You're Jok­ neutrino. Despite disagreement Most recently, Feynman had Feynman, 69, died at !0:34PM on dependently on problems in the ex­ ing, Mr. Feynman, and as a mem­ with initial experiments, they held turned his attention to quantum Mon., Feb. 15, 1988, at UCLA isting theory of quantum ber of the President's Commision firm to their theory. It was later chromodynamics (QCD), the Medical Center. Feynman, born electrodynamics. on the Space Shuttle Challenger vindicated by more careful theory of quarks and gluons. May 11,1918, in New York City, At Caltech, he became a legend Accident, for which he filed an ex­ experiments. Through this theory has striking was the Richard Chase Tolman during his lifetime, known not only plantory addendum on the panel's Feynman is also credited with similarities to quantum elec­ Professor of Theoretical Physics. for his science but also for his ex­ final report. Feyman's other pub­ the parton model. Though it was trodynamics, its dynamical struc­ He joined the Caltech faculty in traordinary ability to communicate lications included QED: The known that hadrons could be ture is vastly different. This year 1950, and was widely heralded as its meaning to audiences at all lev­ Strange Theory ofLight and Mat­ described as if they were compos­ he was teaching Physics 230, and one of this century's most brilliant els. His lectures to freshman phys­ ter (1986), and The Feynman Lec­ ed of quarks, he was the first to the content ofthe course was quan­ theoretical physicists and original ics classes over the years were very tures on Physics (1963). take seriously the idea that the tum chromodynamics. He intend­ thinkers. well attended, by students and In addition to he Nobel Prize, quarks were real. Experiment ed to devote his full time to this Professor Feynman earned his faculty alike. In 1982, for example, Feynman had been awarded the Al­ showed that hadrons contained ad­ problem. B.S. from MIT in 1939, and he was honored by the Associated bert Einstein Award from Prince­ ditional constituents, gluons. His explanations of the received his Ph.D. from Princeton Students ofthe California Institute ton and the Einstein Award of the Evidence for smaller particles in­ technical aspects ofQCD were not in 1942. After wartime work at the ofTechnology for his teaching ex­ Albert Einstein College of Medi­ side the proton was soon found. the main attraction of the class. It Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory cellence, an award based on stu­ cine, the E.O. Lawrence Award of Quantum chromodynamics shed was his wonderful, physical ideas - where he divided his time be­ dents' evaluations ofthe instructor's the Atomic Energy Commission, light on the dynamics of the that made the class exciting. Every tween trying to solve the secrets of clarity, enthusiasm, command of the Oersted Medal for Teaching, partons. question that was asked prompted the atom and of cracking safes­ the subject, rapport with the class, and the Niels Bohr International Feynman's abilities were not Feynman to give us a puzzle or an Feynman became professor ofthe­ and interest in the students as in­ Gold Medal. limited to the physics of particles. idea to work out. oretical physics at Cornell, where dividuals. This latter quality was He was the first to understand the In his final few classes, we he worked with Hans Bethe. It was demonstrated by his regular atten­ Dr. Feynman is survived by his physics of liquid helium. Helium could all see that Feynman was there in 1947 that he did the work dance at commencement ceremo­ wife, Gweneth Howarth Feynman, becomes a superfluid at low growing weak. He would take that led to his receiving the Nobel nies, whenever his health formerly of Rippowden, Halifax, temperatures. Superfluids have no breaks in the middle oflecture, and Prize in Physics in 1965, which he permitted. England, now of Altadena; a son, viscosity - things can move would eat while talking to keep up shared with Shinichero Tomonaga Most recently, Feynman at­ Carl Richard; a daughter, Michelle through them without friction. please see PHYSICIST, page 2 of Tokyo and Julian Schwinger of tracted attention as the author ofthe Catherine, and his sister, Joan. FRIDAY 19 FEBRUARY 1988 • • In memorlam~-- For the first few days as a brand Feynman's teacher instinct: new Caltech freshman, I lived in He had a wonderful instinct to Dabney House. Over one of the 7 July 1966 share this excitement. "I'm so ex­ courtyard passageways was the cited. Everyone should be so excit­ neatly letterred word, "Feynman," I stand at the seashore, ed. Ifyou could only see what I see in the manner one encounters alone, and start to think... you'd all be jumping up and down! Aristotle and other legends written There are the rushing waves... Let's jump up and down together." on ivy-covered walls. That was in Mountains of molecules, And when I saw what he saw I 1968. I suppose it is still there. each stupidly minding its own would jump up and down. The ex­ Perhaps someone knows the story business... citement is hard to describe. of who wrote it.
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