Richard P. Feynman’s National Medal of Science.

[FEYNMAN, Richard P.].

$50,000.00

Item Number: 125834

Danbury, Connecticut: Medallic Art Co., [1979].

Richard P. Feynman’s National Medal of Science, bestowed upon him by President Jimmy Carter in 1979. Bronze, the medal depicts a man in contemplation writing a formula in the sand on the obverse, and reads on the reverse: “Awarded by the President of the United States of America to Richard Phillips Feynman 1979.” Established in 1959, he National Medal of Science is is an honor bestowed annually by the President of the United States to individuals in science and engineering who have made important contributions to the advancement of knowledge in the following six fields: behavioral and social sciences, biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and physical sciences. National Medal of Science Laureates include: Theodore von Kármán, Cornelius Van Niel, Kurt Gödel, Gilbert Stork, Barbara McClintock, Albert Sabin, Richard P. Feynman, and Eugene M. Shoemaker. In fine condition. Housed in a custom leather case. With a gold tie pin replicating the medal housed in the original box.

American theoretical physicist Richard Phillips Feynman was best known for his his work in the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, the theory of quantum electrodynamics, the physics of the superfluidity of supercooled liquid helium, as well as his work in particle physics for which he proposed the parton model. During his lifetime, Feynman became one of the best-known scientists in the world. He was a keen popularizer of physics through both books and lectures, including a 1959 talk on top-down nanotechnology called There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom and the three-volume publication of his undergraduate lectures, The Feynman Lectures on Physics. Ranging from the most basic principles of Newtonian physics through such formidable theories as general relativity and quantum mechanics, Feynman's lectures stand as a monument of clear exposition and deep insight. Along with his work in theoretical physics, Feynman has been credited with pioneering the field of quantum computing and introducing the concept of nanotechnology. For his contributions to the development of quantum electrodynamics, Feynman received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 jointly with Julian Schwinger and Shin'ichirō Tomonaga. In addition to the Nobel Prize and National Medal of Science, Feynman received the Oersted Medal in 1972 and Niels Bohr International Gold Medal in 1973.