Murray Gell-Mann: Former Prodigy & Nobel Prize Winner in Physics

Murray Gell-Mann is a Nobel Prize winner in physics. In 1969, he received the Nobel prize for his work on the theory of elementary particles. He is an American physicist. Gell-Mann was born on 15th September 1929 into a family of Jewish immigrants. He was born to Paulin and Arthur Isidore Gell-Mann. Murray was keenly curious about mathematics and nature. Therefore, he did his graduation as valedictorian from the Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School at the age of 14. After this, he entered Yale College wherein 1948, and he earned his bachelor’s degree in physics.

Further Studies and His Career

He wanted to remain in the Ivy League for his graduate education. So he applied to two of the top universities, Princeton University and Harvard University. Murray faced rejection at Princeton University, as he wanted financial assistance Harvard University accepted him which Harvard University did not offer him. Later on, Gell-Mann was taken by the Massachusetts Institute of technology, which provided him financial support. In 195, he received a Ph.D. in physics from MIT itself.
Murray Gell-Mann worked as an associate professor at the University of Chicago and at Columbia University, he was a visiting associate professor.

Notable Works

The discoveries associated with the classification of elementary particles and their interactions received the Nobel prize in physics in 1969. His notable works include the discovery of cosmic ray particles, which were called kaons and hyperons. He also wrote a popular science book titled, The Quark and the Jaguar: Adventures in the Simple and the Complex, which is about physics and complexity science. Moreover, George Johnson wrote Strange Beauty: Murray Gell-Mann and the Revolution in 20th-Century Physics, a biography of Gell-Mann.

Murray Gell Mann’s Life and Death

In 1995 he married J.Margaret Dow, who died in 1981. Again Marcia Southwick became his wife in 1992. However, Murray died at his home in New Mexico on 24th May 2019.

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