Wolfgang Rindler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wolfgang Rindler
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| Born | 18 May 1924 |
| Died | 8 February 2019 (aged 94) |
| Education | University of Liverpool Imperial College London |
| Known for | Event horizon Ladder paradox Rindler coordinates Spinorial relativity |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physics |
| Institutions | University of Texas at Dallas |
Wolfgang Rindler (born May 18, 1924 – died February 8, 2019) was a famous physicist. He worked on general relativity, which is a big part of how we understand gravity and the universe. He is well-known for creating the term "event horizon". This is the point of no return around a black hole. He also developed "Rindler coordinates" and worked with Roger Penrose on using "spinors" in relativity. He was also a great writer of science textbooks.
Life and Career
Early Life and Education
Wolfgang Rindler was born in Vienna, Austria, on May 18, 1924. His father was a lawyer. In 1938, when he was 14, his mother sent him to England. This was part of the Kindertransport program. This program rescued Jewish children from Germany and Austria during a dangerous time.
He studied at the University of Liverpool and earned his first two degrees. Later, he got his PhD from Imperial College London. From 1956 to 1963, he taught at Cornell University in the United States.
Contributions to Physics
In 1960, Wolfgang Rindler published his first book. It was about special relativity. This book explained how space and time can change for objects moving very fast. People said his book was "excellent" and "clear".
In 1961, Rindler wrote about a famous idea called the "ladder paradox". This is a thought experiment that helps explain how length can seem to change when objects move at very high speeds.
In September 1963, he joined a new research center. This center later became the University of Texas at Dallas. He was one of the first professors there and stayed for the rest of his career. He became a professor emeritus, meaning he retired but kept his title. He also visited other universities, like King's College London and the University La Sapienza in Rome.
Writing Textbooks
In 1969, Rindler published a very important textbook. It was called Essential Relativity: Special, General, and Cosmological. This book was praised for making relativity easier to understand for students. Many people thought it was one of the best introductions to the topic.
He also visited the University of Vienna and Cambridge University in later years.
In 1982, he published another book, Introduction to Special Relativity. This book was a useful guide for many parts of special relativity. It covered how things move, light, particles, and electromagnetism.
In 1984, Wolfgang Rindler worked with Roger Penrose to write Spinors and Spacetime. This book was about advanced math tools called "spinors" used in physics. It was seen as both simple enough to start with and very advanced.
His last major book, Relativity: Special, General and Cosmological, came out in 2001. Reviewers admired his clear and precise writing. They especially liked his explanation of the inside of black holes.
Wolfgang Rindler passed away on February 8, 2019, at the age of 94.
