When you think of scientists, names like Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and Stephen Hawking probably come to mind. However, the person you may not have considered is the great-grandfather of Hollywood superstar and environmental activist, Robert Pattinson. Sixty-five years ago, Robert Pattinson was a down-to-earth, ordinary scientist working at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland when he made one of the greatest discoveries of all time. In fact, it was his innovation, creativity, and persistence that helped him become one of the most successful scientists of all time – largely contributing to the fields of particle physics and cosmology. Let’s take a look at how he did it.
The Birth Of A Genius
Pattinson was born on June 5, 1934 in London, England to Francis and Estelle Pattinson. Soon after his birth, his parents moved to Edinburgh, Scotland where he grew up. One of the first things he did after completing his education in England was to move to Scotland to work as a research assistant at the University of Edinburgh. It was there that he started his independent scientific career and gained his postgraduate qualification. Before long, he had developed a reputation for being an outstanding scientist. It didn’t take long for word to spread about the young genius and by 1957, he had secured a prestigious position at the prestigious Rockefeller University in New York City. It was at this point that he decided to make the most of his time in the city and began taking acting classes – having never really considered himself to be an actor.
From Scientist To Actor
As mentioned, Robert Pattinson started taking acting classes in New York City and eventually became obsessed with the craft. He practiced every day and took inspiration from the greats such as Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, and James Dean. However, his true love was eventually discovered when he decided to help a friend who was struggling with an essay assignment. For the next few months, he wrote essays for his friend and eventually, the friend’s family asked if he would consider moving to California to be with them – which he readily agreed to do. During his time in California, he got his first big break in Hollywood and became one of the most in-demand screenwriters in the business. He also started taking acting classes at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City where he graduated in 1965. Since then, he has appeared in nearly 100 films and TV shows and won numerous awards for his work.
A Passion For Research
Pattinson’s scientific career was only really established in the 1960s. Before that, he was, essentially, a part-time scientist who also dabbled in acting. In the early 1960s, he worked with a team at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, in Switzerland on the ATLAS (Anti-Particle Tau Lepton Assembly) and CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) detectors. These are two of the largest and most complex machines in the world and it was here where he made his greatest scientific discovery. In 1964, at the age of 28, he was the youngest person to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and in 1967, he shared the prestigious Neilsen Award with William Shockley for their invention of the semiconductor. In 1974, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to science and technology – further demonstrating his keen interest and passion for research. In 1975 he was made a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2016, he was also given an Honorary doctorate by the University of Edinburgh for his extensive contribution to science.
A True Renaissance Man
While most great scientists go on to have a long and fruitful career in academia, Robert Pattinson chose to continue his work in industry. In 1974, he moved to California to take up a position at Stanford University where he continued to work on particle physics experiments – helping to found the Particle Data Group, the International Committee of the History of Physics, and the American Institute of Physics. In 1979, he moved back to England where he founded the European Particle Physics Laboratory (now the European Centre for Nuclear Research) at CERN in Geneva. This move enabled him to continue researching the Higgs boson – which he had previously helped to discover while at CERN. In 1981, he returned to Stanford University where he eventually settled down and continued his work. In 1992, he was appointed Stanford’s Provost. In addition to being a great scientist, he is also an accomplished violinist, photographer, and opera singer. He has also spent time studying the Kaballah text and writing poetry. However, his main passion remains science. In 2014, he was one of 200 distinguished individuals who signed the London Declaration for Responsible Capitalism.
Why Are Scientists Important?
If you’re reading this, I assume you have some understanding of the value of science. After all, this article is essentially bragging about a scientist. However, it’s important to understand the purpose of science if you’re going to claim it as an achievement. In essence, science is a systematic method of study that aims to understand the natural world. It is a way of knowing that doesn’t rely on subjective interpretation and allows scientists to draw conclusions based on verifiable evidence. It is also a way of gaining knowledge that can be applied to our everyday lives – helping to advance technologies, feed the planet, and fight disease. To put it simply, without scientists, we wouldn’t know what we don’t know. Our ignorance would be absolute and we would be doomed to a life of poverty, sickness, and chaos. In light of this, anyone who has made a scientific discovery or invention is deserving of recognition and admiration.
Robert Pattinson’s Greatest Discovery
While at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, in Switzerland, in 1964, Pattinson and his team worked on two large particle physics detectors. One of these was the ATLAS (Anti-Particle Tau Lepton Assembly) detector and the other was the CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) detector. The ATLAS detector is one of the largest and most complex machines ever made and is used to discover new particles and to help scientists to understand the fundamental laws that govern the universe. It is a remarkable feat that such a massive detector was put together using rudimentary tools and technology available in the 1960s.
One of the main jobs of the CMS detector is to help scientists to understand where all the matter in the universe comes from – something we now know is the Higgs boson. The Higgs boson is an elementary particle that was discovered in the late 1960s by two separate research groups and independently verified by other scientists in separate experiments. It was only in 2012 that scientists working on the CMS experiment finally confirmed the existence of the Higgs boson – eight years after it was first hypothesized. The Higgs boson is what gives matter its mass – the more you touch it, the more you weigh and its existence explains why we have mass even though we are made of mostly empty space.
To put it simply, the Higgs boson is essential to our understanding of the universe. It acts as a missing link that connects all of the subatomic particles we know and love into one cohesive, logical theory – helping to explain how the entire universe functions and propelling it forward into a new era of discovery.
An Example Of Modern-Day Science
Theoretical physicists are constantly working on new theories and proposals to improve our understanding of the world around us. Sometimes this involves traveling to remote corners of the world to carry out experiments and search for new particles, or looking into the stars to see if they contain the clues to the ultimate mystery. However, the bulk of theoretical physics is based on mathematics and the analysis of data – using sophisticated software to crunch numbers and come up with insights that could revolutionize our perception of the universe.
The discipline itself was actually invented in the 20th century and it’s a great testament to the all-round genius of Robert Pattinson that he should be considered one of its great pioneers. We live in an age where technology has enabled scientists to delve into the deepest details of the universe with comparative ease – enabling us to answer many questions that could’ve remained unresolved for centuries – if not millennia. While we may not always understand the precise significance of their findings, we can at least take pride in the fact that we live in a time when science is finally able to give us answers instead of leaving us in darkness – as it would’ve done in the past.