Boltzmann, Ludwig
| Name |
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| born on | 20 February 1844 at 23:21:24 (= 11:21 PM ) | ||||
| Place | Vienna, Austria, 48n13, 16e20 | ||||
| Timezone | LMT m16e20 (is local mean time) | ||||
| Data source |
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| Astrology data |   01°26'   01°21 Asc. 06°43'
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Biography
Austrian physicist and philosopher whose greatest achievement was in the development of statistical mechanics, which explains and predicts how the properties of atoms (such as mass, charge, and structure) determine the physical properties of matter (such as viscosity, thermal conductivity, and diffusion).
Boltzmann was subject to rapid alternation of depressed moods with elevated, expansive or irritable moods, likely the symptoms of undiagnosed bipolar disorder. He himself jestingly attributed his rapid swings in temperament to the fact that he was born during the night between Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. Meitner relates that those who were close to Boltzmann were aware of his bouts of severe depression and his suicide attempts.
On September 5, 1906, while on a summer vacation in Duino, near Trieste, Boltzmann hanged himself during an attack of depression. He is buried in the Viennese Zentralfriedhof; his tombstone bears the inscription of the entropy formula.
Relationships
- associate relationship with Meitner, Lise (born 7 November 1878)
- friend relationship with Gibbs, Josiah Willard (born 11 February 1839)
Events
Source Notes
Starkman quotes Ruth Lewin Sime's biography "Lise Meitner, A Life in Physics" "He himself jestingly attributed his rapid swings in temperament to the fact that he was born during the night between Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday".
Starkman rectified it to 23.21.24 LMT
Categories
- Personal : Death : Suicide
- Vocation : Science : Physics
- Notable : Famous : First in Field (statistical mechanics)
- Notable : Famous : Top 5% of Profession
