|
NEWS
| SEPTEMBER 16, 2005
Science
Lecturer praises Einstein
John Rigden speaks on scientific
writing, why he thinks Einstein’s great.
 |
| The Shorthorn: Manikandan Sachidanandan |
| Physicist John S. Rigden signs
a book Einstein 1905: the Standard of Greatness on Thursday
in the Nedderman Hall. Rigden is the author of the book,
and he was an National Science Foundation consultant to
India, the U.S. representative to International Science
Exhibition and a Fulbright fellow to Burma and to Uruguay. |
|
By C
J Patton
The Shorthorn staff
Celebration of the World Year of Physics continued Thursday with
two presentations by John Rigden, physicist, author and editor.
The College of Science and the UTA Libraries is jointly hosting
the World Year of Physics, an international celebration in honor
of the centennial anniversary of Albert Einstein’s revolutionary
works in the field.
Dr. Rigden visited Thursday to give two seminars, one on publishing
scientific and technical books in general and the other on his latest
work, Einstein 1905: The Standard of Greatness.
He said that writing science, especially for the general public,
is much different from writing for colleagues.
“Too much of science writing is concerned with not making
any kind of mistake, to the result that you get qualifier after
qualifier,” he said. “You don’t want to be inaccurate,
but you have to make compromises.”
In discussing his book, Rigden said he wanted to explain why Einstein
is looked at as the epitome of genius. He said much of it came from
his 1905 works, which substantially changed the body of scientific
thought.
“In six months, one week and two days, Einstein wrote five
papers that literally transformed and restructured much of the foundations
of physics,” he said. “These five papers are as solid
today as they were in 1905. Not one has had to be retracted or modified.”
During this time, he said, Einstein proved that light acts as a
particle, that atoms exist, that the laws of thermodynamics are
not absolute, that time and space are relative and that energy and
mass can be converted back and forth. This is the reason why Einstein
is so well known and widely recognizable today, Rigden said.
“Einstein became a hero — he became an instant celebrity.
Go to the grocery store, and ask someone to name a physicist, and
they’ll undoubtedly say, ‘Einstein,’ ” he
said. “Then, ask them to name a chemist. I’ll bet you
a dollar they won’t be able to think of one.”
Rigden said that what makes physics so compelling is its relation
to rational thought, the capacity that separates man from the animals.
He said Einstein, more than any other person in history, reflected
this capacity.
“When you see a first-class mind at work, when you see Einstein’s
mind at work, you’re seeing something distinctly human,”
he said. “Einstein was the standard of greatness because he
was able to demonstrate, in a really cogent way, what makes humans
human.”
Engineering graduate student Jerry Kunkel said he is an Einstein
buff and came to hear an expert speak on the subject. He said he
was impressed with Ridgen’s knowledge and that he did a good
job conveying how amazing Einstein’s accomplishments are.
“I think the most compelling thing that people don’t
know is his writing five papers in six months,” he said. “I’m
trying to write a paper, and I’m in my second year. It’s
mind-boggling.”
|
|
