The Strangest Man in Modern Physics: Discussing Paul Dirac at Perimeter Institute Public Lecture on December 14
Newswise — Ontario, Canada, November 23, 2011 – Paul Dirac was a scientific genius of legendary eccentricity. He is best known for conceiving of antimatter and co-discovering the most revolutionary theory of the past century – quantum mechanics – while strangely sending postcards home during his times of great discovery to discuss only the weather.
On Wednesday, December 14, as part of Perimeter Institute’s Public Lecture series presented by Sun Life Financial, Graham Farmelo, By-Fellow at Churchill College, Cambridge University, UK, will examine the life of Paul Dirac, exploring where his obsessions began and why he was sometimes called ‘the strangest man’ in the modern history of physics.
Graham Farmelo is a By-Fellow at Churchill College at Cambridge University and Adjunct Professor of Physics at Northeastern University in Boston. He obtained his PhD in particle physics in 1977, and later held a tenured position at the UK’s Open University. In 1990, he moved to the Science Museum in London, UK to become Assistant Director. Since 2003, he has been a consultant in science communication and author. Farmelo recently published ‘The Strangest Man’, a biography of Paul Dirac that won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.
Graham Farmelo’s lecture, entitled “Paul Dirac and the Religion of Mathematical Beauty” will be held Wednesday, December 14 at 7:00 PM ET in Waterloo, Ontario. Tickets will be available starting Monday, November 28, 2011.
Further details can be found at www.perimeterinstitute.ca.
Media inquiriesRJ Taylorrtaylor[at]perimeterinstitute[dot]ca519.569.7600 x5371
About Perimeter InstitutePerimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI) is an independent, non-profit, scientific research organization working to advance our understanding of physical laws and develop new ideas about the very essence of space, time, matter and information. Located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, PI also provides a wide array of research training and educational outreach activities to nurture scientific talent and share the importance of discovery and innovation among students, teachers and the general public. In partnership with the Governments of Ontario and Canada, PI is a successful example of public-private collaboration in scientific research, training and outreach. http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca
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