Customer Reviews

Redirecting Science: Niels Bohr, Philanthropy, and the Rise of Nuclear Physics

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There have been several well regarded biographies of Niels Bohr. But Aaserud takes us on a more focused tour. He looks at Bohr's role as director of Copenhagen's Institute of Theoretical Physics, in the 1930s. The intent is to study Bohr's ability as a director, in keeping a nuclear physics research group funded, year after year.

Before the Second World War, this was a far trickier proposition. Then, nuclear physics was seen as pure science; decoupled from the real world. (An attitude that would radically change after the war.) So we see Bohr in a different light. He had clear talents in being able to wheedle funds out of wealthy benefactors. Of course, having the prestige of a Nobel clearly helped!

The book also has an extended discussion of the pre-war refugee problem. Mostly Jews who were denied positions in Nazi Germany, and who sought these at Bohr's institute. He made valiant and often successful attempts to get several of them jobs. But from the vantage point of today, with hindsight, one has to wonder if they should have looked further afield (like outside Europe).