Richard Feynman Timeline

(May 11, 1918 – February 15, 1988)

Richard Feynman (1918–1988) was an American theoretical physicist renowned for his pioneering contributions to quantum electrodynamics, for which he shared the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physics. He played a key role in the Manhattan Project, invented Feynman diagrams, and became one of the most celebrated science educators of the 20th century. More Less

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Early Life and Education

Birth of Richard Feynman in New York City

May 11, 1918

Richard Phillips Feynman was born in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York City, to Melville and Lucille Feynman. His father, a uniform salesman, encouraged young Richard's scientific curiosity, teaching him to think critically about the natural world.

Image source: Richard Feynman

Graduates from Far Rockaway High School

Jun, 1935

Feynman graduated from Far Rockaway High School, where he was already recognized as a mathematical prodigy. He won the New York University Math Championship shortly before graduating, showcasing his extraordinary talent.

Image source: Far Rockaway High School

Enters Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Sep, 1935

Feynman enrolled at MIT to study mathematics but soon switched to physics, finding it a better fit for his interests. As an undergraduate, he published research and developed his reputation as a brilliant young physicist.

Image source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Receives bachelor's degree from MIT

Sep, 1939

Feynman earned his bachelor's degree in physics from MIT. His undergraduate thesis on forces in molecules contained ideas that would later contribute to quantum chemistry methods.

Begins graduate studies at Princeton University

Sep, 1939

Feynman entered Princeton's physics graduate program, working under John Archibald Wheeler. There he began developing his path integral formulation of quantum mechanics.

Image source: Princeton University

Receives doctorate in physics from Princeton

Jun, 1942

Feynman completed his doctoral thesis, 'A Principle of Least Action in Quantum Mechanics,' which introduced the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics based on his work with Wheeler.

Image source: Action principles

Marries Arline Greenbaum

Jun 29, 1942

Feynman married his high school sweetheart Arline Greenbaum despite her recent diagnosis with tuberculosis. Their touching love story became one of the most memorable aspects of Feynman's life story.

Image source: Richard Feynman

Manhattan Project

Joins Manhattan Project at Los Alamos Laboratory

Apr, 1943 - Oct, 1946

Hans Bethe recruited Feynman to work at Los Alamos on developing the atomic bomb. He led the theoretical division's computational group and made important contributions to understanding how much energy would be released by nuclear explosions.

Image source: Project Y

Witnesses Trinity atomic bomb test

Jul 16, 1945

Feynman witnessed the first successful test of an atomic bomb at Trinity Site, New Mexico. Rather than using protective goggles, he observed through a truck windshield, noting that the only visible effect was a faint flash of purple light.

Image source: Trinity (nuclear test)

Personal Life

Arline Feynman dies of tuberculosis

Jun 16, 1945

Feynman's wife Arline died in a hospital in Albuquerque while he worked at Los Alamos. Her death deeply affected him, though he famously kept working, later writing a moving letter to her that was sealed until after his death.

Marries Mary Louise Bell

Jun 10, 1952 - Jul, 1956

Feynman married Mary Louise Bell, whom he had met at Cornell. The marriage was troubled from the start due to incompatible personalities, and they divorced in 1956 after four difficult years together.

Marries Gweneth Howarth

Sep 24, 1960

Feynman married British-born Gweneth Howarth, whom he had met in Switzerland. Their marriage proved happy and stable; they remained together until his death and raised two children, Carl and Michelle.

Son Carl Feynman is born

1961

Feynman's son Carl was born, bringing immense joy to the physicist. Feynman took great pleasure in teaching his son about science and the world around them.

Daughter Michelle Feynman is born

1968

Feynman adopted his daughter Michelle, completing his family with Gweneth. Michelle later edited several books collecting her father's writings and letters.

Academic Career and Research

Accepts professorship at Cornell University

Oct, 1945 - Jul, 1950

After Los Alamos, Feynman accepted a position at Cornell University under Hans Bethe. Though initially depressed following the war and Arline's death, he produced some of his most influential theoretical work there.

Image source: Cornell University

Develops Feynman diagrams

Jan, 1948

Feynman introduced his famous diagrams, graphical representations of particle interactions that simplified calculations in quantum electrodynamics. These visual tools revolutionized how physicists approach particle physics problems.

Image source: Feynman diagram

Presents path integral formulation at Pocono Conference

Mar 30, 1948 - Apr 1, 1948

At the Pocono Conference, Feynman presented his alternative formulation of quantum electrodynamics to leading physicists including Bohr, Dirac, and Oppenheimer. While initially met with skepticism, his approach proved revolutionary.

Image source: Path integral formulation

Moves to California Institute of Technology

Aug, 1950

Feynman accepted a professorship at Caltech, where he spent the remainder of his career. The sunny Pasadena environment helped lift his spirits, and Caltech provided him with excellent colleagues and resources.

Image source: California Institute of Technology

Publishes work on superfluidity of liquid helium

Jan, 1953 - Dec, 1953

Feynman applied quantum mechanics to explain superfluidity in liquid helium below two kelvin, providing a microscopic explanation for this remarkable phenomenon where fluids flow without viscosity.

Image source: Superfluidity

Publishes work on superfluidity of liquid helium

Proposes weak decay theory challenging parity conservation

Jan, 1956 - Dec, 1956

Working with Murray Gell-Mann, Feynman developed V-A theory of weak interactions. This followed Chen-Ning Yang and Tsung-Dao Lee's proposal questioning parity conservation, which was confirmed by Chien-Shiung Wu's experiments.

Image source: Wu experiment

Begins teaching freshman physics course at Caltech

Jan, 1961 - May, 1963

Feynman undertook the ambitious project of teaching introductory physics to Caltech undergraduates. His lectures were recorded and transcribed, becoming the celebrated three-volume 'Feynman Lectures on Physics,' still used today.

Image source: The Feynman Lectures on Physics

Publishes parton model of proton structure

Feb, 1969

Feynman introduced the parton model, describing protons as composed of point-like particles called partons (later identified as quarks). This model explained deep inelastic scattering results from Stanford Linear Accelerator Center experiments.

Nobel Prize and Later Years

Awarded Nobel Prize in Physics

Dec 10, 1965

Feynman shared the Nobel Prize in Physics with Julian Schwinger and Sin-Itiro Tomonaga for their fundamental work in quantum electrodynamics. Feynman famously considered whether he should decline the prize but ultimately accepted it.

Image source: Nobel Prize in Physics

Diagnosed with abdominal cancer

Oct, 1978

Feynman was first diagnosed with cancer, requiring surgery to remove an abdominal tumor. He recovered temporarily but the disease would return years later, eventually proving fatal.

Publishes popular memoir 'Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!'

Jan, 1985

Feynman published his collection of anecdotes about his life, from safecracking at Los Alamos to playing bongos. The book became a bestseller and introduced millions to his irreverent personality and insatiable curiosity.

Image source: Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!

Publishes popular memoir 'Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!'

Publishes 'QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter'

Nov, 1985

Based on lectures delivered in New Zealand, this book presented quantum electrodynamics to general audiences without mathematics, demonstrating Feynman's exceptional ability to explain complex physics simply and clearly.

Image source: QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter

Publishes 'QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter'

Serves on Rogers Commission investigating Challenger disaster

Feb, 1986 - Jun, 1986

Feynman served on the presidential commission investigating the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion. His famous ice water demonstration showing O-ring failure with cold temperatures became iconic, demonstrating NASA management's flawed decision-making process.

Image source: Rogers Commission Report

Undergoes second major cancer surgery

Oct, 1986

Feynman underwent another major operation as his abdominal cancer returned. Despite serious illness, he continued to teach and conduct research whenever his health permitted.

Death of Richard Feynman

Feb 15, 1988

Richard Feynman died at UCLA Medical Center from complications related to abdominal cancer at age 69. His last words reportedly included his frustration at dying twice, saying 'I'd hate to die twice. It's so boring.'

Image source: Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman

Posthumous publication of 'What Do You Care What Other People Think?'

Sep, 1988

This posthumous sequel to his first memoir was published, including his moving love letter to Arline and detailed accounts of his work on the Challenger investigation. It further cemented his legacy as both scientist and storyteller.

Image source: What Do You Care What Other People Think?

Key Facts

Richard Feynman shared the 1965 Nobel Prize in Physics with Julian Schwinger and Sin-Itiro Tomonaga for fundamental work in quantum electrodynamics (QED).
He worked on the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos during World War II, helping develop the atomic bomb.
Feynman introduced Feynman diagrams, a powerful visual tool that revolutionized calculations in particle physics.
He served on the Rogers Commission investigating the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, famously demonstrating the O-ring failure with a simple ice water experiment.
His 'Feynman Lectures on Physics,' published in 1964, remain one of the most popular and influential physics textbooks ever written.

Source

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