Hans Bethe Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Hans Bethe

Born	Hans Albrecht Bethe (1906-07-02)July 2, 1906 Strasbourg, Alsace–Lorraine, Germany
Died	March 6, 2005(2005-03-06) (aged 98) Ithaca, New York, U.S.
Nationality	German American
Alma mater	University of Frankfurt University of Munich
Known for	Nuclear physics Stellar nucleosynthesis Quantum electrodynamics Cavity perturbation theory Crystal field theory Bethe–Salpeter equation Bethe-Slater curve Bethe formula Bethe-Heitler formula Bethe–Feynman formula Mott-Bethe formula Bethe lattice Bethe ansatz Bethe–Weizsäcker formula Bethe–Weizsäcker process
Spouse(s)	Rose Ewald (married in 1939; two children)
Awards	1939 A. Cressy Morrison Prize 1947 Henry Draper Medal 1957 ForMemRS 1959 Franklin Medal 1961 Eddington Medal 1961 Enrico Fermi Award 1963 Rumford Prize 1967 Nobel Prize in Physics 1975 Nat'l Medal of Science 1989 Lomonosov Gold Medal 1993 Oersted Medal 2001 Bruce Medal 2005 Benjamin Franklin Medal
Scientific career
Fields	Nuclear physics
Institutions	University of Tübingen Cornell University University of Bristol University of Manchester
Thesis	Theorie der Beugung von Elektronen an Kristallen (1928)
Doctoral advisor	Arnold Sommerfeld
Doctoral students	Michel Baranger David B. Beard Hildred Blewett Peter A. Carruthers Ajoy Ghatak Asoke Nath Mitra Jeffrey Goldstone Roman Jackiw Francis E. Low Robert Eugene Marshak Walter McAfee Boyce McDaniel Michael Nauenberg John W. Negele Mark Nelkin Ramamurti Rajaraman J. J. Sakurai Gordon Shaw [it] David J. Thouless
Other notable students	Freeman Dyson

Signature

Hans Albrecht Bethe (born July 2, 1906 – died March 6, 2005) was a brilliant German-American physicist. He was a "theoretical physicist," which means he used math and ideas to understand how the universe works. He made huge discoveries in many areas of physics, like how stars create energy and elements (called stellar nucleosynthesis). For this important work, he won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1967.

Early Life and Education
Career Highlights
Personal Life
Honors and Awards
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Education

Hans Bethe was born in Strasbourg, Germany, on July 2, 1906. He was the only child of Anna and Albrecht Bethe, who was a university teacher of how living things work (physiology).

Hans Bethe, aged 12, with his parents

When Hans was 10, he got tuberculosis, a serious lung illness. He had to take a break from school to get better. After recovering, he went to different schools, including a private boarding school. He finished his high school studies in 1924.

In 1924, Bethe started studying at the University of Frankfurt. He first chose to study chemistry. However, he found the physics classes there were not very good. He also didn't like how the math teachers taught math without connecting it to science. So, in 1926, he moved to the University of Munich to continue his studies.

Career Highlights

Hans Bethe became a citizen of the United States in 1941. For most of his career, he was a professor at Cornell University, a famous school in New York.

World War II and the Atomic Bomb

During World War II, Bethe worked at a secret laboratory called Los Alamos National Laboratory. This was where scientists developed the first atomic bombs. Bethe was in charge of the "Theoretical Division." His team played a key role in figuring out how much nuclear material was needed for the bombs to work (called "critical mass"). They also helped develop the special "implosion method" used in the "Fat Man" bomb, which was dropped on Nagasaki in 1945.

The Hydrogen Bomb and Peace Efforts

After the war, Bethe also helped develop the hydrogen bomb. He actually joined this project hoping to prove that such a bomb could not be built.

Later in his life, Bethe became a strong supporter of peace. He worked with famous scientists like Albert Einstein to speak out against nuclear testing and the "nuclear arms race" (when countries build more and more nuclear weapons). He helped convince leaders like President Kennedy and President Nixon to sign important agreements. These agreements, like the 1963 Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, aimed to limit nuclear weapons.

Nuclear Energy and Later Work

In the 1980s and 1990s, Bethe promoted the peaceful use of nuclear energy. After the Chernobyl disaster (a serious accident at a nuclear power plant), he helped study what went wrong. They found that the power plant had a bad design and that human mistakes also caused the accident.

In 1995, when he was 88 years old, Bethe wrote an open letter. In it, he asked all scientists to stop working on nuclear weapons. He believed it was important for scientists to use their skills for good.

Hans Bethe continued his scientific research even when he was in his nineties. He published important papers for almost 70 years! His former student, Freeman Dyson, called him the "supreme problem-solver of the 20th century."

Personal Life

Rose Bethe Los Alamos badge

Hans Bethe had many hobbies. He loved collecting stamps and enjoyed being outdoors. He was a very enthusiastic hiker and explored mountains like the Alps and the Rocky Mountains.

He married Rose Ewald on September 13, 1939. They had two children, Henry and Monica.

Hans Bethe passed away at his home in Ithaca, New York, on March 6, 2005, at the age of 98. He was a respected professor at Cornell University until his death.