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Niels Bohr: the man, his science, & the world they changed

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Neils Bohr was among the greatest of the 20th century physicists, equal even to the most celebrated figure of Einstein--who could, himself, never quite accept the uncertainty of modern theory. In Moore's biography of Bohr and of the times he lived in, a time of simultaneous discovery, she defines Bohr's place in a world that was dependent on him and his colleagues. Particle physics is explained in a way that can be understood by anyone with an interest, and her chapters on Copenhagen as the center for theoretical physics and sharing of ideas are only overshadowed by the significant parts of the book covering World War Two and its aftermath, and the heroic deeds of the Bohrs and many other like-minded scientists and humanitarians.

This biography recalls the entire life of Niels Bohr, one of the preeminent scientists of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; the author even likens his influence to Aristotle's. Though focusing primarily on his scientific life, the book traces his life from his promising beginnings in Denmark until his death in 1962. Also included is the author's assertion that Bohr was nearly able to halt the nuclear Arms race that spawned the Cold War. Other notables that are mentioned in conjunction with Bohr include: James Franck, Lord Rutherford, Werner Heisenberg, Enrico Fermi, Sir John Cockcroft, Ernest Lawrence, and Adlai Stevenson.