The famous physicist did not just receive the Nobel Prize, but contributed to reporting other candidates for the prestigious prize
Albert Einstein, in addition to being a renowned winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics, also played an active role in the nomination of other scientists for this prestigious award. Between 1919 and 1954, Einstein submitted nine nominations for the Nobel Prize, in both physics and chemistry. These choices reflect not only his deep understanding of the physics of his time, but also his ability to predict which discoveries and theories would have a lasting impact on science.
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Max Planck: the father of quanta
Einstein’s first nomination was for Max Planck in 1919, the same year Planck actually received the prize for his discovery of energy quanta. This choice demonstrates Einstein’s ability to recognize the importance of revolutionary discoveries such as quantum theory.
The energy quantum concept introduced by Planck in 1900 postulates that energy is emitted or absorbed in discrete packets, not continuously. This revolutionary idea laid the foundation for the development of quantum mechanics, radically changing our understanding of the behavior of matter and energy at the subatomic level.
James Franck and Gustav Hertz: the collision of electrons
In 1924, Einstein nominated James Franck and Gustav Hertz, who won the prize the following year for their discoveries about the laws governing the collision of an electron on an atom. Their experiment, known as the Franck-Hertz experiment, was crucial in confirming Bohr’s atomic model.
The Franck-Hertz experiment demonstrated that electrons in an atom can only exist in discrete energy states. By bombarding mercury atoms with electrons, they observed that electron energy was absorbed only in specific amounts, corresponding to transitions between atomic energy levels. This discovery provided crucial experimental evidence for Bohr’s atomic model.
Arthur Compton: the effect that bears his name
In 1926, Einstein proposed Arthur Compton, awarded in 1927 for the discovery of the effect that bears his name. The Compton effect describes the interaction between photons and electrons, demonstrating the corpuscular nature of light.
The Compton effect, discovered in 1923, demonstrates that photons (particles of light) behave like particles when they collide with electrons. Compton observed that when X-rays strike electrons, the wavelength of the scattered light increases, indicating a transfer of energy and momentum from the photon to the electron. This discovery was fundamental in confirming the dual nature of light as a wave and a particle.
Werner Heisenberg: the uncertainty principle
In 1932, Einstein nominated Werner Heisenberg, who won the prize in the same year (awarded in 1933) for the creation of quantum mechanics. Heisenberg is best known for his uncertainty principle, which establishes a fundamental limit on the precision with which certain pairs of physical properties can be known simultaneously.
Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, formulated in 1927, states that it is impossible to measure certain pairs of physical properties of a particle, such as position and momentum, simultaneously and with arbitrary precision. This principle has profound philosophical and practical implications, underscoring the fundamental limits of our ability to know and measure the subatomic world.
Erwin Schrödinger: the wave equation
Also in 1932, Einstein also nominated Erwin Schrödinger, who received the prize in 1933 together with Paul Dirac for their discoveries of new productive forms of atomic theory. Schrödinger is famous for his wave equation, which describes how the quantum state of a physical system changes over time.
The Schrödinger equation, introduced in 1926, is a fundamental mathematical description of how quantum states of a physical system evolve over time. This equation allows us to calculate wave functions that describe the probabilistic behavior of subatomic particles, and is applicable to a wide range of quantum systems, from atomic physics to quantum chemistry.
Otto Stern: the magnetic moment of the proton
In 1940, Einstein nominated Otto Stern, who won the prize in 1943 for his contribution to the development of the molecular beam method and his discovery of the magnetic moment of the proton. Stern’s work was pioneering in the study of the properties of subatomic particles.
The Stern-Gerlach experiment, conducted in 1922, demonstrated the quantization of the intrinsic angular momentum (spin) of atoms. By passing a beam of silver atoms through a non-uniform magnetic field, Stern and Gerlach observed that the beam split into two distinct components, confirming the existence of spin and its quantized nature.
Isidor Rabi: MRI
Also in 1940, Einstein also nominated Isidor Rabi, who received the prize in 1944 for his resonance method for recording the magnetic properties of atomic nuclei. Rabi’s work laid the foundation for the development of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Rabi developed a technique to study the magnetic properties of atomic nuclei using magnetic fields and radio waves. This technique, known as nuclear magnetic resonance, allows us to analyze the structure and dynamics of molecules, and has become a fundamental tool in chemistry, biology and medicine.
Wolfgang Pauli: the exclusion principle
In 1945, Einstein nominated Wolfgang Pauli, who won the prize in the same year for the discovery of the exclusion principle. The Pauli principle states that two identical fermions cannot occupy the same quantum state simultaneously, a fundamental rule for understanding the electronic structure of atoms.
This principle has profound implications for understanding the structure of matter, explaining phenomena such as the stability of atoms and the periodicity of chemical elements. It also underpins our understanding of phenomena such as superconductivity and the magnetism of materials.
Walther Bothe: the method of coincidences
Einstein’s last nomination was for Walther Bothe in 1954. Bothe shared the prize with Max Born in the same year for the method of coincidence and the discoveries made with it. Bothe’s method allowed the study of correlated particle events, opening up new possibilities in nuclear and particle physics.
Bothe developed a technique for detecting coinciding particles, that is, particles emitted simultaneously by a nuclear process. This method has had a significant impact on nuclear and particle physics, allowing interactions between particles and radioactive decay processes to be studied in detail.
Carl Bosch: high-pressure chemistry
In 1929, Einstein made an unusual nomination, nominating Carl Bosch for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Bosch actually received the prize in 1931, sharing it with Friedrich Bergius, for their contributions to the invention and development of high-pressure chemical methods.
The work of Bosch and Bergius revolutionized the chemical industry, allowing the synthesis of ammonia on an industrial scale and the development of processes for the production of synthetic fuels. These high-pressure methods had an enormous impact on agriculture, providing the basis for the production of artificial fertilizers, and on the energy industry, opening up new avenues for the production of fuels.
Einstein’s nominations for the Nobel Prize show how recognition among scientists is crucial to the advancement of research. The winners of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics will be announced tomorrow, following a process similar to that of Einstein’s time. The announcement, scheduled for 11:45 am (CST), will reveal who the scientists the Nobel committee deemed worthy of the prize this year.
In the cover image, Albert Einstein during a lecture in Vienna in 1921. Credits: Ferdinand Schmutzer and Adam Cuerden.
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