Georges Lemaître was a Belgian priest, astronomer and professor of physics. Lemaître is known most of all for developing the Big Bang theory, which is now widely accepted and has led to the creation of a new field of research: cosmology. He proposed that the universe expanded from a single point, which he called the “Primeval Atom“. Although part of his theory – that the universe was compressed into a single atom – has since been refuted, Lemaître was a pioneer in his field, and his discoveries rocked the world of science. In just 50 minutes, you will find out how his actions shaped our understanding of our world and understand his profound influence on cosmology and physics.
This straightforward and informative book provides a thorough discussion of Lemaître’s most important scientific discoveries, including his Big Bang theory and his theory of the expansion of the universe. It also features a full biography, a valuable introduction to the political, social and economic context and an evaluation of the impact of his work, giving you all the essential information about this pioneer in science.
About Georges Lemaître
Georges Lemaître was a Belgian priest and astronomer who created one of the most famous theories of modern-day science – the Big Bang – which completely changed the way we consider the history of our universe. However, Lemaître did not come up with the term “Big Bang” himself – one of his critics coined the expression when he said it on a radio interview in order to make it more accessible to the public.
This clear and accessible 37-page book is structured as follows:
- Introduction to Georges Lemaître
- Biography of Georges Lemaître
- A unique model for the universe?
- The universe was not created in seven days
- Political, social and economic context
- A keen interest in science
- An intellectual and spiritual path
- Formative journeys
- One man, two callings
- Einstein and Friedmann’s contributions
- The theory of the expansion of the universe (1927)
- The hypothesis of the primeval atom (1931)
- The rest of his work
- The chronology of the Big Bang
- Impact of Lemaître’s discoveries
- Reception among the scientific community: between continuity and criticism
- Reception of Lemaître’s theories across the world
- What remains of the Big Bang theory?
50MINUTES.COM – History