Latest news with #NationalMedalofScience
NDTV
21-05-2025
- Science
- NDTV
He Made World's First Hydrogen Bomb But Kept It A Secret For 50 Years
Richard L Garwin, the creator of America's hydrogen bomb, died on May 13 at his home in Scarsdale, New York. He was 97. Over the course of his seven-decade career, Mr Garwin laid the groundwork for insights into the structure of the universe. He also helped in the development of several medical and computer marvels. But his contribution to the one invention that changed the course of history remained a secret for almost 50 years. At the age of 23, he designed the world's first hydrogen bomb. Mr Garwin, who was then a professor at the University of Chicago and just a summer consultant at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, used physicist Edward Teller and mathematician Stanislaw Ulam's concepts to design the hydrogen bomb in 1951-1952. The experimental device, code-named Ivy Mike, was successfully tested on the Marshall Islands on November 1, 1952. Mr Garwin's contribution to the creation of the first hydrogen bomb was a well-kept secret for decades. Outside a select group of government, military, and intelligence officials, no one knew about his role in the experiment due to the secrecy surrounding the project. Edward Teller, whose name had long been associated with the bomb, first credited Mr Garwin in a 1981 taped statement, acknowledging his crucial role in the invention. "The shot was fired almost precisely according to Garwin's design," Mr Teller said, as per The NY Times. The recording was lost to history for 22 years. The late acknowledgement received little attention, and Mr Garwin remained unknown to the public for a long time. In an interview with Esquire magazine in 1984, Mr Garwin opened up about getting little to no recognition for his work on the hydrogen bomb. He said, "I never felt that building the hydrogen bomb was the most important thing in the world, or even in my life at the time." This changed in April 2001 when George A Keyworth II, Mr Teller's friend, provided the transcript of the tape recording to The New York Times. Even though Teller had earlier recognised the young physicist's contribution, such references were lost in specialised writings and meetings. Suddenly, fifty years after the event, Mr Garwin gained wide public recognition as the creator of the H-bomb. Meanwhile, after his success on the hydrogen bomb project, Mr Garwin accepted a job at the International Business Machines Corporation, where he worked for four decades, until his retirement. In between this, Mr Garwin remained a government consultant, offering advice on matters pertaining to national defence. The physicist was an adviser to several American Presidents, such as Dwight D Eisenhower, John F Kennedy, Lyndon B Johnson, Richard M Nixon, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Richard L Garwin's many honours include the 2002 National Medal of Science, the nation's highest award for accomplishments in science and engineering, given by US President George W Bush and the 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award, given by President Barack Obama.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Richard Garwin, a designer of the first hydrogen bomb, dies at 97
Richard L. Garwin, a designer of the first hydrogen bomb, died Tuesday, his daughter-in-law, Tabatha Garwin confirmed to CBS News. The renowned scientist was 97 years old. A prominent scientist who advised several U.S. presidents, Garwin made contributions in nuclear weapons, physics, and in military technology, among many other areas. He published more than 500 papers and was granted 47 U.S. patents, according to The Garwin Archive maintained by the Federation of American Scientists. He was just 23 years old when he designed the first working hydrogen bomb, according to a profile written in IEEE Spectrum magazine. It was detonated in a test codenamed Ivy Mike at Enewetak Atoll in November 1952, yielding 10.4 megatons of TNT, the measurement that quantifies the force of nuclear weapons. Garwin's role had been largely unknown outside of a small circle of physicists, mathematicians, and engineers at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, who were involved with the project until 2001, the profile said. In 2016, former President Obama awarded Garwin the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his scientific work. In the citation, Mr. Obama said Garwin,"made pioneering contributions to U.S. defense and intelligence technologies." Garwin was honored with the National Medal of Science in 2002 and was awarded the Vannevar Bush Award in 2023, which honors exceptional lifelong leaders in science and technology. "Richard Garwin is truly remarkable," Dario Gil, Chair of the Board's External Engagement Committee, said in a statement. "His continuing contributions to society, both as a scientific researcher and presidential advisor, help bolster national security and improve international collaboration." Garwin was born in Cleveland in 1928 and lived in Scarsdale, New York. His wife, Lois, of 70 years, predeceased him. The couple had three children. Sneak peek: Fatal First Date Trump teases "good news" on Russia-Ukraine war Preview: "Sunday Morning: By Design" - A Weekend in New Orleans (May 18)
CBS News
14-05-2025
- Science
- CBS News
Richard L. Garwin, a designer of the first hydrogen bomb, dies at 97
Richard L. Garwin, a designer of the first hydrogen bomb, died Tuesday, his daughter-in-law, Tabatha Garwin confirmed to CBS News. The renowned scientist was 97 years old. A prominent scientist who advised several U.S. presidents, Garwin made contributions in nuclear weapons, physics, and in military technology, among many other areas. He published more than 500 papers and was granted 47 U.S. patents, according to The Garwin Archive maintained by the Federation of American Scientists. He was just 23 years old when he designed the first working hydrogen bomb, according to a profile written in IEEE Spectrum magazine. It was detonated in a test codenamed Ivy Mike at Enewetak Atoll in November 1952, yielding 10.4 megatons of TNT, the measurement that quantifies the force of nuclear weapons. Garwin's role had been largely unknown outside of a small circle of physicists, mathematicians, and engineers at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, who were involved with the project until 2001, the profile said. U.S. President Barack Obama presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to physicist Richard Garwin during an East Room ceremony at the White House November 22, 2016 in Washington, DC. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest honor for civilians in the United States of America. Alex Wong / Getty Images In 2016, former President Obama awarded Garwin the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his scientific work. In the citation, Mr. Obama said Garwin,"made pioneering contributions to U.S. defense and intelligence technologies." Garwin was honored with the National Medal of Science in 2002 and was awarded the Vannevar Bush Award in 2023, which honors exceptional lifelong leaders in science and technology. "Richard Garwin is truly remarkable," Dario Gil, Chair of the Board's External Engagement Committee, said in a statement. "His continuing contributions to society, both as a scientific researcher and presidential advisor, help bolster national security and improve international collaboration." Garwin was born in Cleveland in 1928 and lived in Scarsdale, New York. His wife, Lois, of 70 years, predeceased him. The couple had three children.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
University of Utah honors renowned chemist Henry Eyring for his love of God, love of people, love of chemistry
The University of Utah on Saturday unveiled a statue honoring Henry Eyring, a renowned chemist who served as the founding dean of the university's graduate school. The statue is located in the atrium of the Henry Eyring Chemistry Building, named for the chemist himself. During the unveiling, Eyring's son, President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke, highlighting not just who his father was as a chemist but as a person. Eyring was a faithful member of the Church for his whole life and his son shared that he was someone who loved God, loved people and loved chemistry. 'He saw himself as a person whose main purpose was to help people, that that's what God would want him to do,' President Eyring said. The statue was provided by Khosrow Semnani, a philanthropist who said he saw this statue as a way for him to do something for Eyring who had a major impact on him and was a guiding light in his life. 'He was a very kind man in many ways,' Semnani added. 'He never stopped promoting kindness.' The statue shows Eyring sitting on a stool, holding a model of a molecule and smiling as if he was teaching a class. 'That smile is the smile he always had when he taught about chemistry and he was trying to lift people,' President Eyring said. It was sculpted by Mark Degraffenried and was created through the Metal Arts Foundry. Other speakers at the event included Peter Armentrout, interim chair of the university's chemistry department, and university President Taylor Randall. Also present at the event were former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and Elder Dale G. Renlund of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Eyring was a trailblazing theoretical chemist who wrote over 600 scientific papers and 10 volumes. His research on chemical kinetics helped build a foundation for the modern day understandings of chemical reactions. 'Dr. Eyring's contributions to theoretical chemistry have fundamentally shaped our understanding of chemical kinetics, and I know that for a fact, because I do chemical kinetics and I use some of his principles all the time,' Armentrout said. His works included seminal research on the theory of liquids, optical rotation, rate processes in biology and medicine, aging and cancer, anaethesiology and other areas. He developed the absolute rate theory, known as the Eyring equation. Eyring also was presented with National Medal of Science in 1966 by Lyndon B. Johnson and received the Wolf Prize in Chemistry in 1980. He served as dean of the U. Graduate School and a professor of Chemistry and Metallurgy at the University of Utah from 1946 until his death in 1981, at age 80. During his life he was also nominated for a Nobel Prize multiple times. Randall pointed out that the university is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year and said that Eyring's time at the school is a great inflection point of the university's history. 'Beyond these scientific achievements, he was also known for his passion for education, his infectious enthusiasm for discovery of all sorts, and his unique ability to bridge the realms of science and profound philosophical thought,' Armentrout said.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
University of Utah honors renowned chemist Henry Eyring for his love of God, love of people, love of chemistry
The University of Utah on Saturday unveiled a statue honoring Henry Eyring, a renowned chemist who served as the founding dean of the university's graduate school. The statue is located in the atrium of the Henry Eyring Chemistry Building, named for the chemist himself. During the unveiling, Eyring's son, President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke, highlighting not just who his father was as a chemist but as a person. Eyring was a faithful member of the Church for his whole life and his son shared that he was someone who loved God, loved people and loved chemistry. 'He saw himself as a person whose main purpose was to help people, that that's what God would want him to do,' President Eyring said. The statue was provided by Khosrow Semnani, a philanthropist who said he saw this statue as a way for him to do something for Eyring who had a major impact on him and was a guiding light in his life. 'He was a very kind man in many ways,' Semnani added. 'He never stopped promoting kindness.' The statue shows Eyring sitting on a stool, holding a model of a molecule and smiling as if he was teaching a class. 'That smile is the smile he always had when he taught about chemistry and he was trying to lift people,' President Eyring said. It was sculpted by Mark Degraffenried and was created through the Metal Arts Foundry. Other speakers at the event included Peter Armentrout, interim chair of the university's chemistry department, and university President Taylor Randall. Also present at the event were former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and Elder Dale G. Renlund of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Eyring was a trailblazing theoretical chemist who wrote over 600 scientific papers and 10 volumes. His research on chemical kinetics helped build a foundation for the modern day understandings of chemical reactions. 'Dr. Eyring's contributions to theoretical chemistry have fundamentally shaped our understanding of chemical kinetics, and I know that for a fact, because I do chemical kinetics and I use some of his principles all the time,' Armentrout said. His works included seminal research on the theory of liquids, optical rotation, rate processes in biology and medicine, aging and cancer, anaethesiology and other areas. He developed the absolute rate theory, known as the Eyring equation. Eyring also was presented with National Medal of Science in 1966 by Lyndon B. Johnson and received the Wolf Prize in Chemistry in 1980. He served as dean of the U. Graduate School and a professor of Chemistry and Metallurgy at the University of Utah from 1946 until his death in 1981, at age 80. During his life he was also nominated for a Nobel Prize multiple times. Randall pointed out that the university is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year and said that Eyring's time at the school is a great inflection point of the university's history. 'Beyond these scientific achievements, he was also known for his passion for education, his infectious enthusiasm for discovery of all sorts, and his unique ability to bridge the realms of science and profound philosophical thought,' Armentrout said.
