Directory of Scientists: Hoyle and Johnson

Study Notes

Directory of Scientists

Science is becoming more diverse and collaborative, scientists from different fields are working together to increase knowledge.

Fred Hoyle

British astrophysicist.
Worked on the origin of elements in stars.
Proposed a theory stating that most chemical elements were created step-by-step by nuclear reactions in large stars.
This is a theory that proposed that elements could be formed by steps.
Proponent of the steady-state theory: This theory proposed that the universe's density remains constant as new matter continually forms, despite expansion.
Proposed that organic molecules in comets may have brought life to Earth.
Coined the term "Big Bang".

Katherine Johnson

Award-winning American mathematician.
Played a key role in calculations of trajectories for many space missions (e.g., Alan Shepard's space flight).
Worked at NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, a predecessor to NASA).
Manually performed calculations for engineers.
Contributed to the launch site and flight path planning for the Apollo 11 Moon mission and later on the US space shuttle program.

Yvonne Brill

Born in Winnipeg, Canada.
Worked at the Douglas Aircraft Company.
Invented a propulsion system that keeps unmanned spacecraft in stationary orbit.
Worked on the thrusters for weather satellites, rocket designs used in US Moon missions, and space shuttle rocket engine.
Worked for NASA.

Abdus Salam

Studied mathematics and physics at the University of Cambridge.
Proposed the electroweak theory, which explains how the weak interaction between subatomic particles works and how it can be unified with the electromagnetic force.
Postulated that there are messenger particles for weak interactions, which are exchanged in instances of the interaction.
His theories were confirmed at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) in 1973.
Jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics with Sheldon Lee Glashow and Steven Weinberg in 1979.

Vera Rubin

Discovered that stars orbiting in the outer part of a spiral galaxy travel as fast as those close to the center, contrary to Newton's laws of gravity.
Implied that each galaxy has a halo of invisible (dark) matter whose gravitational force affects the outer stars.
She examined 60 spiral galaxies.
Rubin showed that the Andromeda Galaxy also demonstrates this.
Convinced astronomers that dark matter exists.
Received the National Medal of Science in 1993.

Peter Higgs

Studied physics at King's College London and University of Edinburgh.
Involved in developing the theory explaining the origin of mass of elementary particles.
Predicted a field that permeates space called the Higgs field, and a particle called the Higgs boson.
The Higgs boson was discovered in 2012 at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
Jointly won the Nobel Prize in Physics with François Englert for the 1964 work (theory about the Higgs bosun).

Eric Kandel

Fled Vienna with his family due to anti-Semitism.
Studied medicine at New York University, received degree in 1956.
Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (with others) for work on the role synapses (nerve junctions) play in memory and learning, which he investigated using the sea slug (simple nervous system).
Demonstrated applicability of learning mechanisms to humans.

Mario Molina

Studied to become a chemical engineer.
Showed, with a colleague, that CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) released from aerosols, foams, and refrigerants destroy the ozone layer.
This work led to banning/limiting CFC use.
Shared the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with his colleague.

Lap-chee Tsui

Canadian medical geneticist.
Found the fault in the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis.
This discovery led to new treatment options.

Mae Carol Jemison

First African American woman to travel in space.
Became a medical officer with the Peace Corps.
Joined the US space agency and became one of 15 candidates selected for astronaut training (from 2,000).
Served as a science mission specialist on a space shuttle mission and performed bone cell research

Donna Strickland

Canadian optical physicist.
Developed a technique called chirped pulse amplification for generating the shortest and most intense laser pulses.
Awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Worked with Gérard Mourou.

Carol Greider

American molecular biologist.
Research focused on telomeres and the enzyme telomerase.
Discovered that inhibiting telomerase slows tumor growth in cancer cells, which is important for potential treatments.
This discovery has implications for potential anticancer drug development.
Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine along with others.

Description

This quiz explores the contributions of notable scientists Fred Hoyle and Katherine Johnson. Discover their groundbreaking theories and achievements in astrophysics and mathematics, respectively. Test your knowledge on their impact in the fields of science and space exploration.