02/02/2026
On this day, 1st February 1976, the world lost Werner Heisenberg, one of the greatest physicists of the 20th century.
Born on 5th December 1901, Heisenberg revolutionized physics by formulating quantum mechanics using matrices (1925), a discovery that earned him the 1932 Nobel Prize in Physics.
He is best known for the Uncertainty Principle (1927), which fundamentally changed our understanding of the microscopic world by showing that the act of observation affects what is being observed. This principle laid the foundation for modern quantum theory and philosophical debates about reality itself.
Beyond quantum mechanics, Heisenberg made significant contributions to turbulence, ferromagnetism, cosmic rays, and nuclear physics. He also played a key role in post-war Germany’s nuclear energy research.