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Prof. Daniel Shechtman: An Israeli Nobel Laureate
Shalom friends,
Almost thirty years ago a scientist named Daniel Shechtman imaged a new alloy composed of aluminum and manganese using an electron microscope. He realized that he saw something new – something that contradicted the well-proved and accepted paradigm about crystal structure that stated that “all crystals were ordered and periodic.”Shechtman discovered that crystals can form a non-periodic structure that are now termed “quasiperiodiccrystals.”
It is not an easy task to contradict textbooks, but that was what Shechtman had to do to explain his findings. For many years people did not believe in Shechtman’s explanation and he was ridiculed and treated badly by his colleagues at the scientific community. No less a figure than LinusPauling, who won two Nobel prizes, claimed that Shectman was "talking nonsense" and "There is no such thing as quasicrystals, only quasi-scientists." Shechtman was expelled from his research group on the grounds of being a “disgrace to the group” and his first article describing the phenomenon was rejected due to “no interest for the community of physicists”.
Finally, he collaborated with other scientists who saw the truth in his findings and the quasicrystals have been recognized and accepted in the scientific community and broadened the definition of crystals.
The quasicrystals have significant practical application as strengthening particles in steel and are used for fine instrumentation that need to touch the human body such as surgical equipment. It is also used as non-stick insulation for electrical wires and cooking equipment.
Twenty nine years after his discovery, Professor Daniel Shechtman from the Department of Material Engineering at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology won the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences stated that: "His discovery was extremely controversial. In the course of defending his findings, he was asked to leave his research group. However, his battle eventually forced scientists to reconsider their conception of the very nature of matter."
We are honored to have Professor Daniel Shechtman as Israel's tenth Nobel laureate – we look at him with respect and admiration – not only for his scientific findings but also for his belief in his truth and for the humble yet persistent way he fought for it.
Personal Testimony on the Nobel Laureate Professor Daniel Shechtman
Most scientists don’t spend their time only at the laboratory – they touch the lives of others such as their students and colleagues. Here is a testimony from a student of Prof. Shechtman who is now a Professor himself at the Ben Gurion University:
Prof. Danny Shechtman taught me electron microscopy during my graduate school. The hours we spent together every week during winter term of 1989 were enjoyable and meaningful.
As a teacher, Prof. Shchtman was knowledgeable, pleasant and helpful. He deeply considered every question we asked and did his best to repeat and explain until he was sure the point was clear. He humbly didn't mention his discovery during the course.
Since then I heard him lecturing about his discovery a few times in conferences. I felt that he is very clever, courageous and above all a fine gentleman. What a combination. What an achievement.
I must admit that Prof. Shectman showed that believing in one’s findings and fighting for it, is worthwhile. I salute him!
You can listen to MattiCaspi singing this song in the Hebrew language in his first solo album of 1974 here.
Hebrew Crossword Puzzle
See if you know how to write the following words in the Hebrew language:
Horizontal
2. star
3. determinism
Vertical
1. scientist
2. chemistry
Hebrew Name
דָנִיֵּאל
Name:
Daniel
Gender:
Male, female
Meaning:
God is my judge
History:
There are several men called Daniel in the Bible. One of them is a wise person of the time when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, reigned in Jerusalem.
Citation:
"And the king spoke unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes. Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans... Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah." Daniel 1, 3-6
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Almost thirty years ago a scientist named Daniel 
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