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Niels Bohr Born
Niels Bohr was born in Copenhagen to a physiologist father and an educated mother, fostering his intellect and curiosity. -
Doctorate from Copenhagen University
Bohr received his doctorate from Copenhagen University for his thesis on the electron theory of metals. -
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Bohr's Atomic Model
Bohr separated himself from most physicists of the time with the theory that electromagnetic radiation from an atom occurred only when an electron jumped to a lower-energy orbit. While this was not widely accepted at the time, it resolved many questions about experimental data. Bohr's contribution to the atomic theory would eventually net him a Nobel Prize. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1LDJUu4nko -
Bohr Announces Complementarity Principle
The behavior of light and electrons is sometimes wavelike and sometimes particle-like. It is impossible to observe both at the same time but understanding each gives a fuller picture of what is happening -
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Bohr's Work on Fission
Based on Bohr's theory of a compound nucleus, the work to experimentally prove fission began. -
Bohr Escapes the Nazis
As the political situation in Denmark deteriorated, Bohr knew his time there was limited. He and his family escaped by boat to Sweden. After his escape, he joined the Manhattan Project to develop the Atomic Bomb in spite of his objections to its use. -
Bohr's Return Home
After the end of the World War, Bohr returned home and continued his research at the atomic level. He established a research center at Risø, aided in the establishment of CERN, and the Nordic Institute for Atomic Physics. -
Niels Bohr's Death
Bohr died in Copenhagen. In a nod to his complementarity principle, a yin yang is on his headstone. His work paved the way for many things in modern life from microwave ovens to computers.