Edward Teller (1908–2003) was one of the great physicists of the 20th century. His career began just after the key ideas of the quantum revolution of the 1920s had opened vast areas of physics and chemistry to detailed understanding. Thus, his early work in theoretical physics focused on applying the new quantum theory to the understanding of diverse phenomena. Topics included chemical physics, diamagnetism, and nuclear physics. Later, he made key contributions to statistical mechanics and to the physics of surfaces, solids, and plasmas. In many cases, the ideas in his papers are still rich with important ramifications.
Teller’s career can be divided into two distinct but overlapping phases. (See the chronology on page 50.) The first, covering most of the period from 1928 to 1952, was devoted to basic science and university life. In the second phase, which began with the discovery of fission in 1939, his chief focus...
