Recent Posts in Condensed Matter Physics

Discover the Perfect Science Book: A Holiday Gift Guide Curated by Physicists

By Emily Taylor and Joan R. Najita

This holiday season, give the gift of wonder and discovery! We’ve asked physicists from Aspen Center for Physics to create a curated guide of must-read science books that inspire curiosity and deepen our understanding of the universe. Whether you’re shopping for a science enthusiast or looking for your own next great read, these expert recommendations offer something for everyone.

The Founding of the Aspen Center for Physics

By George Stranahan

In 1957 I theorized that if a guy with three kids going to graduate school in Pittsburgh on the GI Bill could rent a house plus jeep in Aspen for three summer months at $400, he’d be a damn fool for not getting outta town. Part of the theory was that, since paper and pencil […]

Condensed Matter Physics: the First Fifty Years

By Ravindra N. Bhatt

Condensed Matter Physics, or Solid State Physics as it was then called, had a slow start in early years of the Aspen Center of Physics (ACP). Much of the activity during the first decade involved participation by a few key players who, convinced of the unity of all subfields of physics, decided to participate in activities at the Center,

The First 35 Years

By Jeremy Bernstein

I made my first visit to the Aspen Center for Physics in June of 1969. The Center had been in operation since the summer of 1962 and from the beginning one of its founders, Michael Cohen, had been urging me to apply for a visit. There was a selection committee.