5 Most Iconic Photographs Of Physicists In History

Awe-inspiring images that ignite scientific and historic curiosity

Theoretical physics is one of the most fascinating subjects for me to study. As much as I love studying the technical aspects of physics, I enjoy exploring the historical aspects of it too. I keep posting about such epic historic photographs from the past associated with physics and mathematics that explain stories of their own, often inspiring. These are the photographs that carry a huge historic and scientific significance and are inspiring for those who want to pursue the field of science and scientific history.

In this article, I shall share with you ten such historic photographs portraying some of the most brilliant and significant physicists in the history of science, that will leave you speechless. These are the images that truly inspired me to a great extent to pursue physics and mathematics. The images mentioned in this story are extracted from multiple physics and history archives that have been mentioned alongside each.

“The study of physics is also an adventure. You will find it challenging, sometimes frustrating, occasionally painful, and often richly rewarding.”

- Hugh D. Young

Albert Einstein and Marie Curie

A. Einstein and Marie Curie standing nearby a lake. Wikimedia Commons Image

I can’t think of any other iconic duo than this. The image was candidly captured around 1929 with Albert Einstein and Marie Curie having a discussion by a lake. It’s really fascinating to comprehend what the most famous theoretical physicist and the most inspiring female scientist in the history of civilization were talking about.

Richard Feynman lying on a desert

Richard Feynman. Image courtesy: Michelle Feynman. Image source: The Quotable Mr. Feynman

Richard Feynman is one of the most fascinating scientific characters of all time. Omni magazine once quoted him being the smartest man in the world. As brilliant of a scientist he was, he was also an amazing teacher of science who made science easy and understandable for general public. I love this particular image of the famous physicist lying on a desert wondering about nature, perhaps.

Skiing Physicists

Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg. Image source: unknown

The image shows two titans of modern quantum theory. Physicist Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg are captured during a skiing session in Tyrol around 1932. Interestingly though, Heisenberg is seen standing and posing for the picture with a beautiful smile while Bohr is seen busy taking down some notes, perhaps on the Copenhagen Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics or the physics of ice-skating, we don’t know for sure. But the image shows an iconic duo of theoretical physicists who’ve had significant contributions to the development of modern physics.

The development of Nuclear fission reaction

Lise Meitner and Otto Hahn in a laboratory in Berlin, c. 1912. Wikimedia commons Image. Original Image source: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/558596

Lise Meitner is one of the most inspirational scientists that many people do not talk about. She’s had some great contributions in the field of nuclear and atomic physics. She is also credited for the discovery of isotope of radioactive element Protactinium. In this image, Meitner is captured working candidly with chemist (and the then head of the department of chemistry) at Wilhelm Kaiser Institute of Germany. Hahn shared the 1944 Nobel Prize in chemistry for his contributions to the development of nuclear fission reaction while Meitner was not acknowledged despite having worked and collaborated with Hahn for a long time having significant contributions to the the discovery.

I’ve covered the story of Lise Meitner in my previous article which you can read here:

Why Don’t We Talk Much About These Female Physicists

The Big Bang theory and Pope Pius XII

Georges Lemaître explaining the big bang theory to Pope Pius XII

I have always been interested in big bang cosmology and while researching about the topic, I came across this fascinating image. Fr. Georges Lemaître is considered to be the father of big bang cosmology as he was the first person to provide an acceptable mathematical explanation to the beginning of the universe in 1927. It is ironic that a Catholic priest came up with a scientific explanation of the beginning of everything, but apart from being a priest, he was also a prolific theoretical physicist and a professor. In this image, Lemaître is trying to explain his theory to Pope Pius XII in 1951. I can only wonder what could the Pope might be thinking at the time. His expressions look mysterious and rather confusing to me.

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