Douglas D. Osheroff and Robert C. Richardson, USA shared the Nobel Prize for Physics with David M. Lee, USA in 1996 "for their discovery of superfluidity in helium-3"
 

 

Video recorded in 2004.  We hear how Osheroff came from a medical family that originally emigrated from Russia to the US. His father married a Lutheran minister’s wife. His father had a great influence on facilitating his interest in science in particular he used to bring home toys for Douglas to take to pieces and learn about. Osheroff felt that he may well have been a danger as he had an interest in gunpowder and high voltage electricity! His mother always had great confidence in his scientific ability. Osheroff obtained the Nobel Prize for work that he did as a student which does not occur often.

Richardson ’s father worked for a telephone company and came from Virginia, his grandfather ran a country store. When it came to college Richardson was sent to Virginia College as it was the cheapest in the area. He studied engineering at first and decided it was not for him!

Together Osheroff and Richardson talk about their different scientific research backgrounds which leads a fascinating discussion on their joint work for the Noble Prize. On the question of religion – Osheroff does not believe in the dogma of organized religion and has an open mind about ‘God’. Richardson says that he gains great joy from music but does not believe in God. He says that an afterlife would be great but has no conviction that there is one.

 

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