True genius : the life and science of John Bardeen : the only winner of two Nobel Prizes in physics / Lillian Hoddeson, Vicki Daitch.

Author
Hoddeson, Lillian [Browse]
Format
Book
Language
English
Published/​Created
Washington, D.C. : Joseph Henry Press, ©2002.
Description
xi, 467 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Availability

Copies in the Library

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Firestone Library - Stacks QC16.B27 H63 2002 Browse related items Request

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    Summary note
    "John Bardeen was an unassuming man, a humble, soft-spoken Midwesterner whose life was filled with simple pastimes like a Sunday picnic with the family or a good game of golf. He was also a giant of modern physics, an extraordinary hero of twentieth century science. His seminal work earned him the distinction of being the only person ever to win two Nobel Prizes in physics - both awarded for discoveries that were breathtaking in scope and responsible for advancing the course of human history." "Without Bardeen's first Nobel Prize-winning discovery - the transistor - the electronics revolution, which brought us desktop computers, supercomputers, and microelectronics, would still be the stuff of science fiction. His second great breakthrough - the theory of superconductivity, which for years had stumped Einstein, Feynman, and many others - promises to revolutionize twenty-first century technology with high speed "mag-lev trains," supercolliding atom smashers, and other fantastic technological wonders." "Yet despite these achievements, this astonishing though decidedly modest Midwesterner was often overlooked by the media as well as the public, simply because he differed radically from the popular stereotype of genius. Through an exploration of his science as well as his life, a fresh and thoroughly engaging portrait of genius and the nature of creativity emerges. This biography provides a whole new perspective on what it truly means to be a genius."--Jacket.
    Bibliographic references
    Includes bibliographical references (p. 331-444) and index.
    Contents
    • The question of genius
    • Roots
    • To be an engineer
    • A graduate student's paradise
    • Many-body beginnings
    • Academic life
    • Engineering for national defense
    • The transistor
    • The break from Bell
    • Homecoming
    • Cracking the riddle of superconductivity
    • Two Nobels are better than one hole in one
    • A hand in industry
    • Citizen of science
    • Pins and needles and waves
    • Last journey
    • Epilogue : true genius and how to cultivate it.
    Other title(s)
    Life and science of John Bardeen
    ISBN
    • 0309084083
    • 9780309084086
    LCCN
    2002007967
    OCLC
    49875299
    Statement on language in description
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