Werner Heisenberg

Werner Karl Heisenberg was a German <a href="/facts/Theoretical_physicist/Cs2Y12rQ">theoretical physicist</a>, one of the main pioneers of the theory of <a href="/facts/Quantum_mechanics/BRc3Mzgr">quantum mechanics</a> and a principal scientist in the <a href="/facts/German_nuclear_program_during_World_War_II/Eot0thNx">German nuclear program during World War II</a>.
He published his <a href="/facts/Umdeutung_paper/PREv5Fxf">Umdeutung paper</a> in 1925, a major reinterpretation of <a href="/facts/Old_quantum_theory/pXkHwvrh">old quantum theory</a>. In the subsequent series of papers with <a href="/facts/Max_Born/6VnUDWhA">Max Born</a> and <a href="/facts/Pascual_Jordan/YNLoGJ5d">Pascual Jordan</a>, during the same year, his <a href="/facts/Matrix_mechanics/nJxC4pKP">matrix formulation</a> of quantum mechanics was substantially elaborated. He is known for the <a href="/facts/Uncertainty_principle/UUSoSp4T">uncertainty principle</a>, which he published in 1927. Heisenberg was awarded the 1932 <a href="/facts/Nobel_Prize_in_Physics/o6w1nCbr">Nobel Prize in Physics</a> "for the creation of quantum mechanics".
Heisenberg also made contributions to the theories of the <a href="/facts/Fluid_dynamics/y7uzSCfg">hydrodynamics</a> of <a href="/facts/Turbulent_flow/NpgFUhG5">turbulent flows</a>, the <a href="/facts/Atomic_nucleus/orpIm5Xl">atomic nucleus</a>, <a href="/facts/Ferromagnetism/fH3HFnSl">ferromagnetism</a>, <a href="/facts/Cosmic_rays/uxCVdTKd">cosmic rays</a>, and <a href="/facts/Subatomic_particles/tMEzcTWQ">subatomic particles</a>. He introduced the concept of a <a href="/facts/Wave_function_collapse/f7KvbBHK">wave function collapse</a>. He was also instrumental in planning the first West German <a href="/facts/Nuclear_reactor/8xqjIbge">nuclear reactor</a> at <a href="/facts/Karlsruhe/2unoefIC">Karlsruhe</a>, together with a <a href="/facts/Research_reactor/lA2UNTuV">research reactor</a> in <a href="/facts/Munich/Pr6zw2ev">Munich</a>, in 1957.
Following World War II, he was appointed director of the <a href="/facts/Kaiser_Wilhelm_Institute_for_Physics/FeQcYSho">Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics</a>, which soon thereafter was renamed the <a href="/facts/Max_Planck_Institute_for_Physics/JFztN4EX">Max Planck Institute for Physics</a>. He was director of the institute until it was moved to Munich in 1958. He then became director of the <a href="/facts/Max_Planck_Institute_for_Physics_and_Astrophysics/bfQRXD8E">Max Planck Institute for Physics and Astrophysics</a> from 1960 to 1970.
Heisenberg was also president of the <a href="/facts/Deutsche_Forschungsgemeinschaft/fHRjppq8">German Research Council</a>, chairman of the Commission for Atomic Physics, chairman of the Nuclear Physics Working Group, and president of the <a href="/facts/Alexander_von_Humboldt_Foundation/gKPUnVfg">Alexander von Humboldt Foundation</a>.

Werner Heisenberg open-in-new

Werner Heisenberg