lew (10/27/82)
Most ridiculous Nobel prize in physics - 1912, Nils Gustaf Dalen for achievements in automatic coastal lighting. I looked this up once and found that Dalen was a Swedish national hero. The physics connection was his having found a way to store more acetylene in a tank without raising the pressure. This allowed automatic buoys to remain unattended for long periods of time. He also designed automatic regulators to turn them off when not needed. Certainly not a ridiculous achievement, but the prize is way out of line with the others given. Nobel prize winner in physics with the funniest name - 1955, Polykarp Kusch for measuring the magnetic moment of the electron. Funny name or not, he is among the more worthy winners. This measurement is the touchstone of quantum electrodynamics and continues to be refined. Lew Mammel, Jr. ihuxr!lew
honton (10/27/82)
Most of us here at cwruecmp object to the winner with the funniest name award. Polykarp Kusch is an alumnus of Case Western Reserve University and has a dorm named after him. chas ps What do Kusch, Michelson, and Glaser have in common?