Philip Abelson
Encyclopedia
Philip Hauge Abelson was an American physicist, a scientific editor, and a science writer.
, Washington. He attended Washington State University
where he received degrees in chemistry
and physics
, and the University of California, Berkeley
(UC Berkeley), where he earned his PhD in nuclear physics
. As a young physicist, he worked for Ernest Lawrence
at the UC Berkeley. He was among the first American scientists to verify nuclear fission
in an article submitted to the Physical Review
in February 1939. In addition, he collaborated with the Nobel Prize laureate Luis Alvarez
in early nuclear research, and was the co-discoverer of neptunium
on 8 June 1940 with Edwin McMillan
. McMillan was awarded the Nobel Prize
for this discovery amongst other elements.
Abelson was a key contributor to the Manhattan Project
during World War II
. Although he was not formally associated with the atom bomb project, the liquid thermal diffusion isotope separation
technique that he invented at the Philadelphia Navy Yard was used in the S-50 plant in Oak Ridge
, Tennessee
; and proved a critical step in creating the large amount of nuclear fuel required for building atomic bombs.
After the war, he turned his attention under the guidance of Ross Gunn to applying nuclear power
to naval propulsion
. While not written at an engineering-design level, he wrote the first physics report detailing how a nuclear reactor
could be installed in a submarine
, providing both propulsion
and electrical power
. His report anticipated the nuclear submarine
's role as a missile platform
. This concept was later supported by Admiral
Hyman G. Rickover
and others. Under Rickover, the concept became reality in the form of USS Nautilus
, the world's first nuclear submarine.
From 1951 until 1971 he served as the director of the Carnegie Institution of Washington's Geophysical Laboratory, and as president from 1971 to 1978. From 1962 to 1984 he was editor of Science
, one of the most prestigious academic journals, and served as its acting executive officer
in 1974, 1975 and 1984. From 1972 until 1974 he served as the president of the American Geophysical Union
.
Abelson was outspoken and well known for his opinions on science. In a 1964 editorial published in Science magazine, Abelson identified overspecialization in science as a form of bigotry
. He outlined his view that the pressure towards specialization beginning in undergraduate study and intensifying in PhD programs has the effect on students of leading them to believe that their area of specialization is the most important, even to the extreme of considering other intellectual pursuits to be worthless. He reasoned that such overspecialization led to obsolescence of one's work, often through a focus on trivial aspects of a field, and that avoidance of such bigotry was essential to guiding the direction of one's work.
In a 1965 article he described his work in paleobiology
and reported evidence of amino acids recovered from fossils hundreds of millions of years in age. He estimated that based on his experiments alanine
would be stable for billions of years.
Perhaps his most famous work from this time period is an editorial entitled "Enough of Pessimism" ("enough of pessimism, it only leads to paralysis and decay"). This became the title of a 100 essay collection.
During the 1970s he became interested in the problem of world energy supplies. Books on the topic include Energy for Tomorrow (1975), from a series of lectures at the University of Washington, and Energy II: Use Conservation and Supply. He pointed out the possibilities of mining the Athabascan tar sands, as well as oil shale
in the Colorado
Rockies
. In addition he urged conservation and a change of attitude towards public transit.
After 1984, he remained associated with the magazine. Some have claimed him to be an early skeptic
of the case for global warming
on the basis of a lead editorial in the magazine dated March 31, 1990 in which he wrote, "[I]f the global warming situation is analyzed applying the customary standards of scientific inquiry one must conclude that there has been more hype than solid fact." However, in 1977 in a US National Research Council, Energy and Environment report he wrote,
Abelson died on August 1, 2004 from respiratory complications following a brief illness. He was married to Neva Abelson
, a distinguished research physician
who co-discovered the Rh blood factor test (with L. K. Diamond). Their daughter, Ellen Abelson Cherniavsky, worked as an aviation
researcher for the MITRE
corporation in Virginia
.
in 1987, the National Science Foundation
's Distinguished Achievement Award, the American Medical Association
's Scientific Achievement Award
, the Distinguished Civilian Service Medal and the Waldo E. Smith Medal
in 1988. In 1992 he was awarded the Public Welfare Medal
, the National Academy of Sciences
's highest honor. He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
in 1958.
Life
Abelson was born in 1913 in TacomaTacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, Washington. He attended Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
where he received degrees in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
and physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, and the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
(UC Berkeley), where he earned his PhD in nuclear physics
Nuclear physics
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei. The most commonly known applications of nuclear physics are nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons technology, but the research has provided application in many fields, including those...
. As a young physicist, he worked for Ernest Lawrence
Ernest Lawrence
Ernest Orlando Lawrence was an American physicist and Nobel Laureate, known for his invention, utilization, and improvement of the cyclotron atom-smasher beginning in 1929, based on his studies of the works of Rolf Widerøe, and his later work in uranium-isotope separation for the Manhattan Project...
at the UC Berkeley. He was among the first American scientists to verify nuclear fission
Nuclear fission
In nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry, nuclear fission is a nuclear reaction in which the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller parts , often producing free neutrons and photons , and releasing a tremendous amount of energy...
in an article submitted to the Physical Review
Physical Review
Physical Review is an American scientific journal founded in 1893 by Edward Nichols. It publishes original research and scientific and literature reviews on all aspects of physics. It is published by the American Physical Society. The journal is in its third series, and is split in several...
in February 1939. In addition, he collaborated with the Nobel Prize laureate Luis Alvarez
Luis Alvarez
Luis W. Alvarez was an American experimental physicist and inventor, who spent nearly all of his long professional career on the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley...
in early nuclear research, and was the co-discoverer of neptunium
Neptunium
Neptunium is a chemical element with the symbol Np and atomic number 93. A radioactive metal, neptunium is the first transuranic element and belongs to the actinide series. Its most stable isotope, 237Np, is a by-product of nuclear reactors and plutonium production and it can be used as a...
on 8 June 1940 with Edwin McMillan
Edwin McMillan
Edwin Mattison McMillan was an American physicist and Nobel laureate credited with being the first ever to produce a transuranium element. He shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Glenn Seaborg in 1951....
. McMillan was awarded the Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
for this discovery amongst other elements.
Abelson was a key contributor to the Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Although he was not formally associated with the atom bomb project, the liquid thermal diffusion isotope separation
Isotope separation
Isotope separation is the process of concentrating specific isotopes of a chemical element by removing other isotopes, for example separating natural uranium into enriched uranium and depleted uranium. This is a crucial process in the manufacture of uranium fuel for nuclear power stations, and is...
technique that he invented at the Philadelphia Navy Yard was used in the S-50 plant in Oak Ridge
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge is a city in Anderson and Roane counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, about west of Knoxville. Oak Ridge's population was 27,387 at the 2000 census...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
; and proved a critical step in creating the large amount of nuclear fuel required for building atomic bombs.
After the war, he turned his attention under the guidance of Ross Gunn to applying nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
to naval propulsion
Nuclear marine propulsion
Nuclear marine propulsion is propulsion of a ship by a nuclear reactor. Naval nuclear propulsion is propulsion that specifically refers to naval warships...
. While not written at an engineering-design level, he wrote the first physics report detailing how a nuclear reactor
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
could be installed in a submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
, providing both propulsion
Marine propulsion
Marine propulsion is the mechanism or system used to generate thrust to move a ship or boat across water. While paddles and sails are still used on some smaller boats, most modern ships are propelled by mechanical systems consisting a motor or engine turning a propeller, or less frequently, in jet...
and electrical power
Electric power
Electric power is the rate at which electric energy is transferred by an electric circuit. The SI unit of power is the watt.-Circuits:Electric power, like mechanical power, is represented by the letter P in electrical equations...
. His report anticipated the nuclear submarine
Nuclear submarine
A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor . The performance advantages of nuclear submarines over "conventional" submarines are considerable: nuclear propulsion, being completely independent of air, frees the submarine from the need to surface frequently, as is necessary for...
's role as a missile platform
Submarine-launched ballistic missile
A submarine-launched ballistic missile is a ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead that can be launched from submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles each of which carries a warhead and allows a single launched missile to...
. This concept was later supported by Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Hyman G. Rickover
Hyman G. Rickover
Hyman George Rickover was a four-star admiral of the United States Navy who directed the original development of naval nuclear propulsion and controlled its operations for three decades as director of Naval Reactors...
and others. Under Rickover, the concept became reality in the form of USS Nautilus
USS Nautilus (SSN-571)
USS Nautilus is the world's first operational nuclear-powered submarine. She was the first vessel to complete a submerged transit beneath the North Pole on August 3, 1958...
, the world's first nuclear submarine.
From 1951 until 1971 he served as the director of the Carnegie Institution of Washington's Geophysical Laboratory, and as president from 1971 to 1978. From 1962 to 1984 he was editor of Science
Science (journal)
Science is the academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is one of the world's top scientific journals....
, one of the most prestigious academic journals, and served as its acting executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
in 1974, 1975 and 1984. From 1972 until 1974 he served as the president of the American Geophysical Union
American Geophysical Union
The American Geophysical Union is a nonprofit organization of geophysicists, consisting of over 50,000 members from over 135 countries. AGU's activities are focused on the organization and dissemination of scientific information in the interdisciplinary and international field of geophysics...
.
Abelson was outspoken and well known for his opinions on science. In a 1964 editorial published in Science magazine, Abelson identified overspecialization in science as a form of bigotry
Bigotry
A bigot is a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices, especially one exhibiting intolerance, and animosity toward those of differing beliefs...
. He outlined his view that the pressure towards specialization beginning in undergraduate study and intensifying in PhD programs has the effect on students of leading them to believe that their area of specialization is the most important, even to the extreme of considering other intellectual pursuits to be worthless. He reasoned that such overspecialization led to obsolescence of one's work, often through a focus on trivial aspects of a field, and that avoidance of such bigotry was essential to guiding the direction of one's work.
In a 1965 article he described his work in paleobiology
Paleobiology
Paleobiology is a growing and comparatively new discipline which combines the methods and findings of the natural science biology with the methods and findings of the earth science paleontology...
and reported evidence of amino acids recovered from fossils hundreds of millions of years in age. He estimated that based on his experiments alanine
Alanine
Alanine is an α-amino acid with the chemical formula CH3CHCOOH. The L-isomer is one of the 20 amino acids encoded by the genetic code. Its codons are GCU, GCC, GCA, and GCG. It is classified as a nonpolar amino acid...
would be stable for billions of years.
Perhaps his most famous work from this time period is an editorial entitled "Enough of Pessimism" ("enough of pessimism, it only leads to paralysis and decay"). This became the title of a 100 essay collection.
During the 1970s he became interested in the problem of world energy supplies. Books on the topic include Energy for Tomorrow (1975), from a series of lectures at the University of Washington, and Energy II: Use Conservation and Supply. He pointed out the possibilities of mining the Athabascan tar sands, as well as oil shale
Oil shale
Oil shale, an organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rock, contains significant amounts of kerogen from which liquid hydrocarbons called shale oil can be produced...
in the Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
Rockies
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. In addition he urged conservation and a change of attitude towards public transit.
After 1984, he remained associated with the magazine. Some have claimed him to be an early skeptic
Global warming controversy
Global warming controversy refers to a variety of disputes, significantly more pronounced in the popular media than in the scientific literature, regarding the nature, causes, and consequences of global warming...
of the case for global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
on the basis of a lead editorial in the magazine dated March 31, 1990 in which he wrote, "[I]f the global warming situation is analyzed applying the customary standards of scientific inquiry one must conclude that there has been more hype than solid fact." However, in 1977 in a US National Research Council, Energy and Environment report he wrote,
Abelson died on August 1, 2004 from respiratory complications following a brief illness. He was married to Neva Abelson
Neva Abelson
Neva Martin Abelson was a distinguished research physician who co-discovered the life-saving blood test for the Rh blood factor ....
, a distinguished research physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
who co-discovered the Rh blood factor test (with L. K. Diamond). Their daughter, Ellen Abelson Cherniavsky, worked as an aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
researcher for the MITRE
MITRE
The Mitre Corporation is a not-for-profit organization based in Bedford, Massachusetts and McLean, Virginia...
corporation in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
Awards
Abelson received many distinguished awards, including the National Medal of ScienceNational Medal of Science
The National Medal of Science is an honor bestowed by the President of the United States to individuals in science and engineering who have made important contributions to the advancement of knowledge in the fields of behavioral and social sciences, biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and...
in 1987, the National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
's Distinguished Achievement Award, the American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
's Scientific Achievement Award
AMA Scientific Achievement Award
The AMA Scientific Achievement Award is awarded by American Medical Association. It may be given to either physicians or non-physician scientists who have contributed significantly to the field of medical science...
, the Distinguished Civilian Service Medal and the Waldo E. Smith Medal
Waldo E. Smith Medal
The Waldo E. Smith Medal is given out by the American Geophysical Union to recognize "individuals who have played unique leadership roles in such diverse areas as scientific associations, education, legislation, research, public understanding of science, management, and philanthropy, and whose...
in 1988. In 1992 he was awarded the Public Welfare Medal
Public Welfare Medal
The Public Welfare Medal is awarded by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences "in recognition of distinguished contributions in the application of science to the public welfare." It is the most prestigious honor conferred by the Academy...
, the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
's highest honor. He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
in 1958.
External links
- History of the UNFCCC, demonstrating that in 1977 Abelson believed in a CO2-climate link
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Philip Abelson
- Annotated bibliography for Philip Abelson from the Alsos Digital Library for Nuclear Issues
- "Cleavage of the Uranium Nucleus", Physical Review, Received February 3, 1939
- Oral History interview transcript with Philip Abelson 19, 26 June & 3 July 2002, American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library and Archives