Physics scientists

Irene Curie

Along with her husband Frederic, she won the 1935 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her contributions to the field of nuclear research in the synthesis of new radioactive elements

Pierre Curie

Along with his wife discovered polonium and radium. Also discovered piezo-electricity.

Richard Feynman

American theoretical physicist worked in integral formulation of quantum mechanics, theory of electrodynamics and super fluidity of supercooled helium and particle physics. Involved in the Manhattan Project. Known for ability as a teacher to make physics understandable.

Evangelista Torricelli

An Italian physicist who invented the mercury barometer. He was also the first scientist to create a sustained vacuum

Robert Millikan

An experimental physicist who won the Nobel Prize in 1923 for measurement of the elementary electronic charge (oil drop experiment) and his work on the photoelectric effect

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Astrophysicist critical of the International Astronomical Union to declassify Pluto as a planet. He has hosted TV science programs

Max Born

He contributed to creation of Quantum Mechanics; pioneer in theory of crystals; won Nobel Prize in 1954 for his work in interpretation of the wave function first proposed in 1926

Enrico Fermi

He designed the first atomic pile and produced the first nuclear chain reaction in 1942. He also worked on the atomic bomb project at Los Alamos; received Nobel Prize in 1938 for work on induced radioactivity

Daniel Bernoulli

He developed a principle in the applications of fluid mechanics that is the basis for aircraft wing design

Stephen Hawking

He devoted much of his life to probing the space-time described by general relativity (which included black holes) while confined to a wheel chair by ALSv

Robert Boyle

He did work with the gas laws. He improved the air pump and investigated the elastic properties of air and is often referred to as the "Father of Modern Chemistry"

E. Schrodinger

He founded wave mechanics pertaining to general electron configuration and produced a solid mathematical explanation of the quantum theory. Well known for the thought experiment with the cat that is alive and dead

Hans Geiger

He is a leader of the atomic age. He developed an invention to detect radioactivity which was named after him

Galileo

He is an astronomer, philosopher and physicist who was the first to document simple harmonic Motion, modified the telescope and wrote " The Dialogue" promoting the heliocentric theory; he improved the telescope and discovered Jupiter's moons

Ben Franklin

He is primarily known for his many inventions, including bifocals, odometer, Franklin stove and his work with electricity. He is also known as " one of the founding fathers"

Michael Faraday

He is the discoverer of electro-magnetic induction, electromagnetic rotations, the magneto-optical effect, diamagnetism and field theory

Thomas Edison

He made drastic improvements to the telegraph and developed the cotton flint to make the first incandescent lamp and the phonograph. He is called the "Wizard of Menlo Park"

Albert Einstein

He was born in Germany, he is known for his work on the atom bomb, E=mc², his Theory of Relativity

R. Oppenheimer

He was in charge of the Manhattan Project, along with other important physicists developed the world's first atomic bomb. He is referred to as the "Father of the atomic bomb." He was the first scientist to write a paper about Black Holes

Niels Bohr

He was responsible for many contributions to the area of quantum physics including the Manhattan Project. His contributions included liquid droplet theory, picture of atomic structure and won the Nobel Prize in 1922 for his work on atomic structure.

Lord Kelvin (William Thomson)

He worked in thermodynamics. The temperature scale based on absolute zero was named after him

Heinrich Hertz

He worked on electromagnetic phenomena; discovered radio waves and the photoelectric effect

James Gates

He works on supersting, supersymmetry and supergravity theory; serves on Pres. Obama's Council or Avisors on Science and Technology

Ernest Rutherford

He wrote the theory of atomic transmutation, when radioactive elements form a new element. He discovered the nucleus. He is credited with constructing the Gold Foil Experiment and became known as the Father of nuclear physics

James Watt

Improved the steam engine and did work with horsepower. His engine helped bring forth the Industrial Revolution

Alexander G. Bell

In 1876, he received patents for the telephone followed by the photophone, meal detector and hydrofoil. He invented techniques for teaching speech to the deaf.

A Michelson

In 1907 this physicist was awarded the noble prize in physics. During his carer he calculated some of the early measurements of light and he touched many other departments of physics

Jacques Charles

Invented the first hydrogen balloon; he one of the Gas Laws

Robert Goddard

Known as the "Father of Modern Rocketry", he developed the bazooka

Max Planck

Leader in the areas of thermodynamics and the Quantum theory. He researched radiation and absorption of heat/light by a black body

Hendrik Lorentz

Nobel Prize winner for the theoretical explanation of the zeeman effect

K. Eric Drexler

Researcher and author on nanotechnologies

Dorothy Hodgkin

She is the founder of science of crystallography and the structures of cholesterol, ferritin, tobacco mosaic virus, penicillin, B-12 and insulin. Winner of the Nobel Prize in 1964

Marie Curie

She wrote theory of radioactivity and discovered radium and polonium, was influential in modern medicine and was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. She died of cancer which was caused by long exposure to radium

Nicola Tesla

Sold patent rights to his system of AC dynamos, transformers and motors to Westinghouse, invented the induction coil used in radio technology

J.J. Thomson

Studied the effect of cathode rays and discovered the electron; He is also credited for the discovery of isotopes and the invention of the mass spectrometer

Carl Sagan

The astronomer, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, and legendary popularizer of science

Luis de Broglie

Theorized any moving particle or object has an associated wave

Olaf Roemer

This astronomer tried to determine the speed of light using eclipses of Jupiter's moons. He constructed the fountains at the Versailles Castle near Paris

James Chadwick

This man is known for proving the existence of the neutron. This earned him the 1935 Nobel Prize in physics

W. Heisenberg

This physicist is associated with the theory of quantum mechanics, principle of uncertainty (can't know exact location of an electron - led to electron cloud theory), and atomic bomb research for Hitler.

Sir Isaac Newton

This scientist developed the Law of Universal Gravitation, the Laws of Motion and called the "Father of Calculus". He also experimented with optics

Alfred Nobel

This scientist patented dynamite in 1867 by mixing nitroglycerine with silica. He wrote in his will that he wanted a prize for people or organizations who promoted peace in physics, chemistry or psychology

Johannes Kepler

Worked with Tycho Brahe and using his meticulous records discovered the orbit of Mars was an ellipse and developed the Laws of Planetary Motion

Robert Hooke

Found that most mass-spring systems have a relationship between force and displacement

Archimedes

A famous mathematician whose theorems and philosophies became world known. His Principles deal with buoyancy. He was best known for discovery of the surface and volume. He invented the water screw and developed the auger. He discovered pi.

Aristotle

A famous philosopher who made science contributions which include principles of change, such as natural motion, celestial motion and terrestrial motion

Edward Teller

A member of the Manhattan Project, helped develop the atomic bomb. He went onto work with fusion and developed the hydrogen bomb. He became known as the father of the hydrogen bomb

Copernicus

"Father of Modern Astronomy", built the heliocentric model of the solar system

L. daVinci

Created the firsts drafts of the helicopter, made the first water wheels and painted the famous paintings "Mona Lisa" and "The Last Supper"

James Maxwell

Developed equations for electromagnetism; developed the kinetic theory of gases

Wolfgang Pauli

Discovered the Exclusion Principle; suggested the existence of the neutrino, an uncharged and mass less particle which carries off energy in radioactive disintegration

Tycho Brahe

Famous, golden nose physicist who built and designed equipment of the best observatory in Europe at the time. He coined the term "nova" for the new star. His assistant used his astronomical observations to derive the laws of planetary motion