Erwin Schrödinger was an Austrian physicist who formulated the wave equation in quantum mechanics, earned the 1933 Nobel Prize, and later wrote the influential book 'What is Life?'. This timeline covers his life from birth in 1887 to death in 1961.
Erwin Rudolf Josef Alexander Schrödinger was born in Erdberg, Vienna, Austria-Hungary. His father was a botanist and his mother was of British descent. #physics #biography
Schrödinger began studying at the University of Vienna, focusing on physics and mathematics. He attended lectures by Ludwig Boltzmann and Friedrich Hasenöhrl. #physics #education
Schrödinger earned his PhD from the University of Vienna under Friedrich Hasenöhrl, with a dissertation on the electrical conductivity of insulators. #physics #phd
After his doctorate, Schrödinger worked as an assistant to Franz Exner at the University of Vienna, conducting experiments and theoretical work. #physics #research
During World War I, Schrödinger served as an artillery officer in the Austro-Hungarian Army. He continued to work on scientific papers when possible. #physics #worldwari
Schrödinger married Annemarie (Anny) Bertel, from Salzburg. The marriage was unconventional, with Schrödinger having numerous affairs. #physics #personal
Schrödinger took a position as an assistant to Max Wien at the University of Jena, but stayed only briefly. #physics #career
Schrödinger moved to the University of Zurich, where he would develop his wave equation. #physics #zurich
He became a full professor at the University of Stuttgart (then Technische Hochschule Stuttgart). #physics #professorship
Inspired by Louis de Broglie's matter waves, Schrödinger began developing a wave equation for quantum systems, leading to a series of seminal papers. #physics #quantummechanics
Schrödinger submitted his first paper 'Quantization as an Eigenvalue Problem' to Annalen der Physik, introducing the time-independent Schrödinger equation. #physics #waveequation
His second paper extended the wave equation to time-dependent systems, forming the foundation of quantum wave mechanics. #physics #quantum
Schrödinger demonstrated the mathematical equivalence of his wave mechanics and Werner Heisenberg's matrix mechanics, unifying quantum theory. #physics #quantum
Schrödinger accepted a prestigious chair at the University of Berlin, succeeding Max Planck. He interacted with Einstein and other leading physicists. #physics #berlin
Schrödinger shared the 1933 Nobel Prize in Physics with Paul Dirac for the discovery of new productive forms of atomic theory. He was at the time in Oxford, having left Germany due to the Nazi regime. #physics #nobelprize
Despising the Nazi regime, Schrödinger left his Berlin position and moved to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he was offered a fellowship. #physics #exile
Schrödinger visited Princeton University, giving lectures on wave mechanics. He was offered a permanent position but declined. #physics #princeton
In a paper discussing the Copenhagen interpretation, Schrödinger devised the cat paradox—a cat simultaneously dead and alive—to highlight quantum superposition at macroscopic scales. #physics #quantum
Back in Austria, Schrödinger accepted a position at the University of Graz. However, political tensions grew as Austria annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938. #physics #graz
After the Nazi annexation of Austria, Schrödinger was forced to leave his Graz post due to his anti-Nazi stance. He fled to Italy and then to the U.S. briefly before settling in Ireland. #physics #exile
Invited by Irish Taoiseach Éamon de Valera, Schrödinger became a professor at the newly founded Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, where he would stay for 17 years. #physics #dublin
He was appointed Director of the School of Cosmic Physics at the Dublin Institute, leading research on wave equations and unified field theory. #physics #cosmicphysics
Schrödinger's influential book 'What is Life? The Physical Aspect of the Living Cell' explored the connection between quantum physics and biology, inspiring many scientists to pursue molecular biology. #biology #physics
Schrödinger became a naturalized Irish citizen, though he retained his Austrian citizenship. He often expressed fondness for Ireland. #physics #ireland
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society for his contributions to quantum mechanics. #physics #royalsociety
Schrödinger published a book on general relativity and unified field theory, continuing his work on classical and quantum physics. #physics #relativity
He published a collection of essays reflecting on the relationship between science and human values. #physics #philosophy
Schrödinger retired from his position at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies and returned to his native Austria. #physics #retirement
He moved back to Vienna and was awarded an honorary professorship at the University of Vienna, spending his final years in the city. #physics #vienna
He received the Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts, one of Germany's highest civil awards. #physics #award
Erwin Schrödinger died in Vienna at the age of 73 of tuberculosis. He was buried in Alpbach, Tyrol. #physics #obituary