John Archibald Wheeler

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John Archibald Wheeler
John Archibald Wheeler 1985.jpg
Wheeler before the Hermann Weyl-Conference 1985 in Kiel, Germany
Born(1911-07-09)July 9, 1911
Jacksonville, Florida, United States
DiedApril 13, 2008(2008-04-13) (aged 96)
Hightstown, New Jersey, United States
Alma materJohns Hopkins University (Ph.D.)
Known for
Spouse(s)Janette Hegner
Scientific career
ThesisTheory of the dispersion and absorption of helium (1933)
Doctoral advisorKarl Herzfeld
Doctoral students

John Archibald Wheeler (July 9, 1911 – April 13, 2008) was an American theoretical physicist. He was known for his interest in general relativity in the United States. Wheeler also worked with Niels Bohr in explaining the basic principles behind nuclear fission.

He is best known for using the term "black hole" and for inventing the terms "quantum foam", "neutron moderator", "wormhole" and "it from bit", and for hypothesizing the "one-electron universe".[1]


References[change | change source]

  1. Wheeler, John Archibald; Ford, Kenneth (1998). Geons, Black Holes, and Quantum Foam: A Life in Physics. New York: W.W. Norton & Co. ISBN 0-393-04642-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Overbye, Dennis (April 14, 2008). "John A. Wheeler, Physicist Who Coined the Term 'Black Hole', Is Dead at 96". The New York Times. Retrieved April 15, 2008.

Other websites[change | change source]