author
Niels Bohr
1885–1962
A pioneer of modern physics, this Danish scientist helped reshape how the world understands the atom. His ideas about atomic structure and quantum theory made him one of the central figures in twentieth-century science.
5 Audiobooks
On the constitution of atoms and molecules
by Niels Bohr
About the author
Born in Copenhagen on October 7, 1885, he became one of the founders of quantum physics. He is especially known for his 1913 model of the atom and for helping build the intellectual framework that later became quantum theory. In 1922, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on atomic structure and radiation.
He spent much of his career at the University of Copenhagen, where he created a major center for theoretical physics that drew leading scientists from around the world. His discussions and debates with other physicists, including Albert Einstein, helped shape some of the biggest questions in modern science.
During the Second World War, he fled Nazi-occupied Denmark and later worked with Allied scientific efforts. He died in Copenhagen on November 18, 1962, but his influence remained strong through both his own work and the generations of physicists inspired by it.