May 30 In Physics History
Physics history will help you to develop a better understanding of the physics world!
birthdays & deaths
Explore all birthdays & deaths of physicists occurred on this day with their short biography!
physics Events
Know all important discoveries made by physicists & events happened on this day with complete information!
May 30 In Physics History - Births – Physicists born on May 30
Joseph Kennedy (30 May 1916 - 5 May 1957)
He was an American physicist and chemist who discovered plutonium with his three companions. It was produced from uranium oxide by bombarding it with deuterons in a cyclotron. Glenn Seaborg, Joseph Kennedy, and Emilio Segrè demonstrated that plutonium is fissionable with slow neutrons. He worked as a chemistry instructor at the University of California. He was chosen by J. Robert Oppenheimer to lead the chemistry division of the Manhattan Project.
Aleksey Arkhipovich Leonov (30 May 1934 - 11 October 2019)
He was a Soviet cosmonaut who was the first man to climb out of a spacecraft in space. He was launched into space on 18 May 1965 with Pavel Belyayev aboard. He left the spacecraft on the second orbit through the airlock while still tethered vessel. He moved around for 10 minutes and took motion pictures.
Hannes Alfvén (30 May 1908 - 2 Apr 1995)
He was a Swedish astrophysicist who founded the field of plasma physics. For this discovery, he shared the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1970. He looked at plasma cosmology as an alternative to the Big Bang Theory. Plasma cosmology says that the universe has a more specific beginning nor has any possible end. The theory says that it is the electromagnetic forces of plasma throughout the universe.
Norris E. Bradbury (30 May 1909 - 20 Aug 1997)
He was an American physicist who succeeded the director of the Los Alamos scientific laboratory. He headed the assembly of non-nuclear components of the nuclear weapons in Los Alamos. He tested several exploratory reactor designs such as solid and liquid plutonium fuels and guided the Los Alamos facility in its conversion to peacetime work. He also established programs in biological and medical help research.
John Herapath (30 May 1790 - 24 Feb 1868)
He was an English physicist and journalist who developed an early interest in investigating the theory of lunar motion. Later, he derived an equation relating the pressure and volume of gas to the mass and speed of its particles. He published his findings in Annals of Philanthropy in 1816. He also took interest in steam-powered transportation. He became the editor of Railway Magazine and Annals of Science. He published the first known calculation of the mean molecular speed of a molecule using the kinetic theory of gases.
Georg von Peurbach (30 May 1423 - 8 Apr 1461)
He was an Austrian mathematician and astronomer who calculated the table of sines with unprecedented accuracy. He also calculated tables of eclipses in Tabulae Ecclipsium. He promoted the use of Arabic numerals. He also observed a lunar eclipse of 1457 and Halley’s Comet in 1456.
May 30 In Physics History - Deaths – Physicists died on May 30
Lewis Morris Rutherfurd (25 Nov 1816 - 30 May 1892)
He was an American astrophysicist who spent his life working in his own observatory. He made the first telescope designed for celestial photography. He used to take photos of the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, and stars. He devised the new micrometer to measure the distance of stars with improved accuracy. He also produced the classification scheme of stars based on their spectra. He devised highly sophisticated diffraction gratings.
Leo Szilard (11 Feb 1898 -30 May 1964)
He was a Hungarian-American physicist who designed the first nuclear reactor with Enrico Fermi. It sustained a nuclear chain reaction. The year he left for England, he conceived the neutron chain reaction. He also conducted fission experiments at Columbia University. He persuaded Albert Einstein to write to President to commission the American development of atomic weapons. He knew about the dangers of nuclear fission in the hands of the German government. In 1943, the atomic bomb was designed by the leader of the Manhattan Project. He forced Szilard to sell his atomic energy patent to the US government.
May 30 In Physics History - Events – Physics Events of May 30
Mars Probe Was Launched
The US Mars space probe Mariner 9 was launched in 1971 from Cape Kennedy. It carried infrared spectrometer, cameras, and celestial mechanics instruments. It entered into orbit on 12 Nov 1971. It complied with the high-quality images of the Martian Surface after waiting for a month for a huge dust storm to clear. The images showed gigantic volcanoes and relics of ancient riverbeds. It sent the close-up pictures of Phobos and Deimos.
