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Last night we watched E=mc², which was broadcast to mark the 100th anniversary of the publication of the perhaps the single most important - certainly the most well known - equation. The dramatised story, whilst a bit enthusiastic in the wardrobe department in places, was fascinating none the less. It certainly did a superb job of demonstrating that whilst Einstein may be the name we all know, many highly gifted, lucky and fascinating people were involved in the groundwork.

It was good too that the programme finished on a high note extolling the benefits to our understanding of the universe that this equation have brought us - to have finished on Hiroshima would have left a sour note. But the increased understandings we have of the mechanics, if you will, of the relationship between energy and mass, has lead to so much that we take for granted in modern life. Hopefully the accessible nature of the programme either instilled an interest in science in physics, or reinvigorated it in those - like me - who studied it years ago but have long since forgotten many of the basic principles.

I hadn’t myself realised that Einstein actually published a total of five other papers in 1905 - the so called Annus Mirabilis. He won a Nobel prize for one of them. In fact, according to the Wikipedia article some scientists felt that three of the papers were deserving of Nobel prizes. Interestingly it was neither the paper setting out his famous equation or the special relativity paper that won it - rather a paper on the photoelectric effect.

On the subject of Nobel prizes, it always saddens me that the Nobel committee do not honour people posthumously. The lack of recognition of Lisa Meitner’s important contribution demonstrates a curious cruelty in an otherwise remarkable institution that seeks to honour those who have contributed remarkable insights into the universe about us. So it’s good that the popular record has at least acknowledged her contribution.

Anyway, here’s to a stunning achievement that was brilliantly portrayed and put together.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 19th, 2005 at 11:30 am and is filed under Science. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.