Brayan Jozefson
Great Britain- Early Life and Education
- Discovery of Temperature Errors
- Pioneering Superconductivity Research
- Nobel Prize and Further Research
- Transcendental Meditation and Cognitive Science
- Personal Life and Honors
Early Life and Education
Brian David Josephson, a Welsh physicist, was born in Cardiff, Wales, to Abraham and Mimi Josephson. He attended Cardiff High School for Boys and proceeded to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in 1960. Josephson went on to obtain his Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the same college in 1964.
Discovery of Temperature Errors
As a student in 1960, Josephson gained recognition by demonstrating that researchers using the Mössbauer effect to measure gravitational redshift in gamma rays had overlooked a major source of error. He showed that the temperature difference between the gamma-ray source and detector could cause a shift in the wavelength comparable to what they were attempting to measure. This discovery necessitated a more rigorous control of temperature in such experiments.
Pioneering Superconductivity Research
Around 1962, Josephson began studying superconductivity, a phenomenon where the electrical resistance of materials drops to zero at low temperatures. He theorized the behavior of a contact between two superconductors separated by a thin insulating layer, predicting a "Josephson effect" where current could flow without a voltage difference (the DC Josephson effect). He also hypothesized that an oscillating current with a frequency dependent on the applied voltage would occur (the AC Josephson effect). These effects were later experimentally confirmed and proved to be highly sensitive to magnetic fields.
Nobel Prize and Further Research
In 1973, Josephson was awarded half of the Nobel Prize in Physics "for his theoretical predictions of the properties of a supercurrent through a tunnel barrier, in particular those phenomena which are generally known as the Josephson effects." The other half was split between Leo Esaki and Ivar Giaever.
Transcendental Meditation and Cognitive Science
In the late 1960s, Josephson developed an interest in consciousness and intelligence. In the early 1970s, he became involved with Transcendental Meditation and sought to reconcile modern physics and mathematics with the intellectual theories of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. He left mainstream physics to focus on these pursuits, stating, "I am taking a highly unconventional theoretical approach to phenomena of intelligence, because I believe that the most fundamental concepts relating to it were discovered long ago in ancient times... In particular, I am drawing heavily on formulations given in various lectures by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in my own explorations. I hope that the computer will help to demonstrate the usefulness and correctness of the ideas he is teaching."
Personal Life and Honors
In 1976, Josephson married Carol Ann Oliver, and they had one daughter. His interests outside of scientific research include mountaineering, astronomy, ice skating, and photography.
Josephson has received numerous awards, including the American Research Corporation Award for Achievement in Science (1969), the Hughes Medal of the Royal Society (1972), and is a Fellow of the Royal Society, a Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society.
