Max Born

Early Life and Education

Max Born was born on December 11, 1882, in Breslau, which is now known as Wrocław, Poland. He was the son of Gustav Born, an anatomist and embryologist, and Margarethe Kauffmann, from a family of local industrialists. Born was one of four children, and he showed an early aptitude for academics, particularly in mathematics and the physical sciences.

An old black and white photograph of a classroom in the late 19th century, with students and a teacher.

Born's education began at the König-Wilhelm-Gymnasium, where he showed a particular interest in the natural sciences and mathematics. He later attended the University of Breslau, where he studied astronomy, mathematics, physics, and philosophy. He completed his doctorate in 1907 under the supervision of Carl Runge, with a thesis on the stability of elastic wires and tapes.

Career and Research

After completing his doctorate, Born worked at the University of Göttingen, where he worked with luminaries such as David Hilbert and Hermann Minkowski. Here, he began his work on the theory of relativity, which would later become a cornerstone of his career. He also worked on the theory of crystals and made significant contributions to the field of quantum mechanics.

In 1915, Born was appointed to the Chair of Theoretical Physics at the University of Berlin. During his tenure, he made significant contributions to the understanding of quantum mechanics, including the development of the Born Rule, which provides the probability that a measurement on a quantum system will yield a given result.

In 1933, due to the rise of the Nazi regime, Born, who was of Jewish descent, decided to leave Germany. He accepted a position at the University of Cambridge, where he continued his research in quantum mechanics. In 1936, he moved to the University of Edinburgh, where he served as the Tait Professor of Natural Philosophy until his retirement in 1953.

Contributions to Quantum Mechanics

One of Born's most significant contributions to quantum mechanics was the development of the Born Rule, a fundamental principle that provides the probability that a measurement on a quantum system will yield a given result. This rule, which was first proposed in 1926, is still widely used in the field of quantum mechanics today.

Born also made significant contributions to the theory of quantum entanglement, a phenomenon in which particles become interconnected and the state of one can instantly affect the state of the other, regardless of the distance between them. This concept, which was initially described as "spooky action at a distance" by Albert Einstein, has become a fundamental aspect of quantum mechanics and has potential applications in areas such as quantum computing and quantum cryptography.

Later Life and Legacy

After his retirement in 1953, Born continued to contribute to the field of physics through his writings. He authored several books on the subject, including "The Restless Universe," "Atomic Physics," and "Natural Philosophy of Cause and Chance."

Born passed away on January 5, 1970, in Göttingen, Germany. His contributions to the field of physics, particularly in the realm of quantum mechanics, continue to be recognized today. In 1954, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his fundamental research in quantum mechanics, especially for his statistical interpretation of the wavefunction.

See Also

• Quantum Mechanics
• Theory of Relativity
• Nobel Prize in Physics