Beauty of the Strange: The Life of Murray Gell-Mann - The Philosopher's Stone Series

Author: George Johnson, translated by Zhu Yunlun et al.
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-12-01
Features: Scientist Biography. Part of the "Philosopher's Stone Series · Biographies of Contemporary Science and Technology Famous Figures." In the history of 20th-century particle physics, the name of the renowned American physicist Murray Gell-Mann is everywhere. Born into a poor Jewish immigrant family, he was regarded as a prodigy from a young age and earned the title of "living encyclopedia" in high school for his extensive knowledge. At the age of 15, Gell-Mann entered Yale University, and by 22, he obtained his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At 23, he introduced a new quantum number—strangeness—to fundamental particles, sparking a revolution in physics. By 27, Gell-Mann became the youngest full professor in the history of the California Institute of Technology. Gell-Mann's great contributions to fundamental particle physics also include the creation of the "eightfold way" for classifying fundamental particles, as well as the discovery that all matter is composed of more fundamental constituents—quarks. These contributions greatly advanced humanity's understanding of the microscopic world, and Gell-Mann was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1969. Later, he founded the interdisciplinary research center—the Santa Fe Institute—to study the widespread complex phenomena in nature and society. This book is a detailed biography of Gell-Mann's life, providing a comprehensive and thorough description and portrayal of his family background, growth, scientific contributions, and personality traits. It was also a finalist for the 2000 Western Writers of America Center Literary Award and the 2001 Evans Prize for Science Writing. With meticulous research, an objective tone, and elegant writing, the book allows readers to fully appreciate Gell-Mann's erudition and uniqueness, as well as the "strange beauty" of his discoveries.