The Pope of Physics : Enrico Fermi and the Birth of the Atomic Age

Enrico Fermi is unquestionably among the greats of the world's physicists, the most famous Italian scientist since Galileo. Called the Pope by his peers, he was regarded as infallible in his instincts and research. His discoveries changed our world; they led to weapons of mass destruction and conversely to life-saving medical interventions. This unassuming man struggled with issues relevant today, such as the threat of nuclear annihilation and the relationship of science to politics. Fleeing Fascism and anti-Semitism, Fermi became a leading figure in America's most secret project: building the atomic bomb. The last physicist who mastered all branches of the discipline, Fermi was a rare mixture of theorist and experimentalist. His rich legacy encompasses key advances in fields as diverse as comic rays, nuclear technology, and early computers. In their revealing book, The Pope of Physics , Gino Segré and Bettina Hoerlin bring this scientific visionary to life. An examination of the human dramas that touched Fermi’s life as well as a thrilling history of scientific innovation in the twentieth century, this is the comprehensive biography that Fermi deserves. The First Full-scale Biography Of The Nobel Prize-winning Physicist And One Of The Fathers Of The Atomic Age, Enrico Fermi. Enrico Fermi Is Unquestionably The Most Famous Scientist To Come From Italy Since Galileo, So Revered That He's Known As The Pope Of Physics. A Modest, Unassuming Man, Fermi Was Nevertheless One Of The Most Productive And Creative Scientists Of The Twentieth Century, One Of The Fathers Of The Atomic Bomb And A Nobel Prize Winner Whose Contributions To Physics And Nuclear Technology Live On Today, With The Largest Particle Accelerator In The United States And The Nation's Most Significant Science And Technology Award Both Bearing His Name. In This, The First Major Biography Of Fermi In English, Gino Segre, Professor Of Physics And Astronomy At The University Of Pennsylvania, Brings This Scientific Visionary To Life. An Examination Of The Human Dramas That Touched Fermi's Life As Well As A Thrilling History Of Scientific Innovation In The Twentieth Century--including The Birth Of One Of Its Most Controversial Disciplines, Nuclear Physics--this Is The Comprehensive Biography That Fermi Deserves-- Prologue: Trinity -- Part 1: Italy, Beginnings. Family Roots ; The Little Match (il Piccolo Fiammifero) ; Leaning In : Physics And Pisa ; Student Days ; The Young Protégé ; The Summer Of 1924 ; Florence ; Quantum Leaps ; Enrico And Laura -- Part 2: Passages. The Boys Of Via Panisperna ; The Royal Academy ; Crossing The Atlantic ; Bombarding The Nucleus ; Decay ; The Neutron Comes To Rome ; The Rise And Fall Of The Boys ; Transitions ; Stockholm Calls -- Part 3: Hello, America. Fission ; News Travels ; Chain Reaction ; The Race Begins ; New Americans ; The Sleeping Giant ; Chicago Bound ; Critical Pile (cp-1) ; The Day The Atomic Age Was Born -- Part 4: The Atomic City. The Manhattan Project : A Three-legged Stool ; Signor Fermi Becomes Mister Farmer ; Götterdämmerung ; The Hill ; No Acceptable Alternative ; Aftershock ; Goodbye, Mr. Farmer -- Part 5: Home. Physicist With A Capital 'f' ; The Fermi Method ; The Super ; Circling Back ; Last Gift To Italy (ultimo Regalo All'italia) ; Farewell To The Navigator. Gino Segrè And Bettina Hoerlin. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Family roots The LittleMmatch (Il Piccolo Fiammifero) Leaning in: physics and Pisa Student days The young protégé The summer of 1924 Florence Quantum leaps Enrico and Laura The boys of Via Panisperna The Royal Academy Crossing the Atlantic Bombarding the neutron Decay The neutron comes to Rome The rise and fall of the boys Transitions Stockholm calls Fission News travels Chain reaction The race begins New Americans and the birth of the pile The sleeping giant Chicago bound Critical pile (CP-1) The day the atomic age was born The Manhattan project: a three-legged stool Signor Fermi becomes mister farmer Götterdämmerung The hill "No acceptable alternative" Aftershock Goodbye, Mr. Farmer Physicist with a capital 'F' The Fermi method The super Circling back Summer of '54 Farewell to the navigator.