“I think of myself as having had two separate careers, one in science and one in aviation. I”
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Luis Walter Alvarez
Luis Walter Alvarez was an American experimental physicist, inventor, and professor who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1968 for his discovery of resonance states in particle physics using the hydrogen bubble chamber. In 2007 the American Journal of Physics commented, "Luis Alvarez was one of the most brilliant and productive experimental physicists of the twentieth century."
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science · American physicist, inventor and professor (1911–1988) · physicist · nuclear physicist · university teacher · inventor · astronomer · also Luis Walter Alvarez, Luis W. Alvarez, Luis Alvarez, Alvarez
Born 13 June 1911 · Died 1 September 1988 · Q178344
39 published statements · 0 followers
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2026· 1 entry
2025· 1 entry
The Economist: Bombs, dinosaurs and UFOs: Luis Walter Alvarez’s eclectic career
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2007· 1 entry
The American Journal of Physics commented, "Luis Alvarez was one of the most brilliant and productive experimental physicists of the twentieth century
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1988· 3 entries
Died 1988-09-01.
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Of complications from a succession of operations for esophageal cancer
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“I don't like to say bad things about paleontologists, but they're not very good scientists.”
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1987· 1 entry
Awarded Enrico Fermi Award (1987).
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1980· 2 entries
Alvarez, Alvarez, Asaro, and Michel published a seminal paper proposing an extraterrestrial cause for the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction (then called the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction)
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Alvarez and his son, geologist Walter Alvarez, along with nuclear chemists Frank Asaro and Helen Michel, "uncovered a calamity that literally shook the Earth and is one of the great discoveries about Earth's history"
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1978· 1 entry
Awarded National Inventors Hall of Fame (1978).
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1968· 5 entries
Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics — for his decisive contributions to elementary particle physics, in particular the discovery of a large number of resonance states, made possible through his development of the technique of using hydrogen bubble chamber and data analysis.
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Awarded honorary doctor of Carnegie-Mellon University (1968).
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Awarded Nobel Prize in Physics (1968).
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"For his decisive contributions to elementary particle physics, in particular the discovery of a large number of resonant states, made possible through his development of the technique of using hydrogen bubble chambers a
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For his discovery of resonance states in particle physics using the hydrogen bubble chamber
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1967· 1 entry
Awarded honorary doctor of the University of Chicago (1967).
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1965· 2 entries
Awarded Michelson–Morley Award (1965).
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To search the Egyptian pyramids for unknown chambers
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1964· 1 entry
Alvarez proposed what became known as the High Altitude Particle Physics Experiment (HAPPE), originally conceived as a large superconducting magnet carried to high altitude by a balloon in order to study extremely high-e
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1963· 1 entry
Won National Medal of Science presented by Lyndon B. Johnson (1963).
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1961· 2 entries
Awarded Albert Einstein Award (1961).
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Won Golden Plate Award (1961).
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1960· 1 entry
Awarded California Scientist of the Year (1960).
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1952· 1 entry
Awarded John Scott Award (1952).
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1947· 1 entry
Won Medal for Merit (1947).
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1945· 3 entries
Won Collier Trophy (1945).
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Alvarez would become a professor of physics at the school he had originally desired to attend, the University of California, Berkeley and in 1978 he would be granted the title of professor emeritus
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"for his conspicuous and outstanding initiative in the concept and development of the Ground Control Approach system for safe landing of aircraft under all weather and traffic conditions"
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1940· 2 entries
Demonstrated to leading American scientists the successful application of the cavity magnetron to produce short wavelength pulsed radar
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Alvarez joined the MIT Radiation Laboratory, where he contributed to a number of World War II radar projects, from early improvements to Identification friend or foe (IFF) radar beacons, now called transponders, to a sys
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1938· 1 entry
Again using his knowledge of the cyclotron and inventing what are now known as time-of-flight techniques, Alvarez created a mono-energetic beam of thermal neutrons
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1936· 2 entries
Alvarez, now engaged to be married to Geraldine Smithwick, asked his sister to see if Lawrence had any jobs available at the Radiation Laboratory
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Alvarez went to work for Ernest Lawrence at the Radiation Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley
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1933· 1 entry
Later earning instrument and multi-engine ratings
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1932· 2 entries
His master's degree in 1934, and his PhD in 1936
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As a graduate student at Chicago, he discovered the field of physics and had the rare opportunity to use the equipment of legendary physicist Albert A
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1926· 1 entry
His father became a researcher at the Mayo Clinic, and the family moved to Rochester, Minnesota, where Alvarez attended Rochester High School
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1911· 2 entries
The second child and oldest son of Walter C
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Born 1911-06-13.
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