15 Famous Physicists Who Were Atheists

This is the second post from a series of three articles in which religious views of well-known scientists will be listed. The other two pages will outline important believers and agnostics in the field of physics.

Before moving on, a brief note on history: The ideas that are recognized today as atheistic were first documented in ancient India during the Vedic period. The practices of life without religion were codified by various Hindu and Buddhist philosophers.

Richard Feynman

He was a Nobel Prize winning American physicist who's known for his contributions to quantum electrodynamics, as well as computing and nanotechnology. By his early youth, Feynman described himself as an "avowed atheist".

He was once asked in an interview whether he was agnostic or atheist. "I call myself an atheist," Feynman replied, "agnostic for me would be trying to weasel out and sound a little nicer than I am about this."

Feynman went on to say, "It doesn't seem to me that this fantastically marvelous universe, this tremendous range of time and space and different kinds of animals, and all the different planets, and all these atoms with all their motions, and so on, all this complicated thing can merely be a stage so that God can watch human beings struggle for good and evil, which is the view that religion has. The stage is too big for the drama."

Niels Bohr

Prominent Danish physicist best known for his explanation of the emission spectrum of Hydrogen atom. He's also remembered for his contributions to the development of quantum mechanics for which he was awarded Nobel Prize in physics.

Born in Copenhagen in 1885 to well-educated parents, Bohr became interested in physics at a young age. The Bohr family was not at all devout, and he became an atheist who regarded religious thought as harmful and misguided.

Bohr's atheism was more related to traditional eastern philosophy, "I go into the Upanishads to ask questions," he had once said. Bohr ended with a dislike of all religions that claimed to base their teachings on revelations, "..the idea of a personal God is foreign to me."

S. Chandrasekhar

At the age of 19 in India, he proved mathematically that a white dwarf more massive than 1.4 solar masses would collapse under its own gravity. This is called the Chandrasekhar Limit for which he was recognized with Nobel Prize in 1983.

In 1991, Chandrasekhar was interviewed by his biographer about his religious beliefs, "I am not religious in any sense; in fact, I consider myself an atheist," he very candidly replied. Despite being brought up in orthodox Hindu Brahmin family he openly admitted to being an atheist.

Louis de Broglie

Nobel Prize winning French physicist best known for his research on quantum theory and for predicting the wave nature of electrons. When Louis was asked to join Catholic Academy of France, he humbly declined because, he said, he had ceased the religious practices of his youth.

He said in 1953, "The history of science shows that the progress of science has constantly been hampered by the tyrannical influence of certain conceptions that finally came to be considered as dogma." Louis de Broglie remained an outspoken atheist until his death in 1987.

Stephen Hawking

He was an English astrophysicist, probably the most renowned genius of the modern age, who contributed to the understanding of the Big Bang and Black Holes. Hawking also provided a theoretical argument for Hawking Radiation in 1974.

He said in 2011, "We are each free to believe what we want and it is my view that the simplest explanation is there is no God. No one created the universe and no one directs our fate. This leads me to a profound realization. There is probably no heaven, and no afterlife either. We have this one life to appreciate the grand design of the universe, and for that, I am extremely grateful."

Francis Crick

He was an English biophysicist who is most notable for being one of the discoverers of the structure of DNA in 1953. He was awarded Nobel Prize in 1962. Crick once joked, "Christianity may be OK between consenting adults in private but should not be taught to young children."

When asked if our genes reveal the hand of God, he replied, "The god hypothesis is rather discredited." He was the first to predict the existence of substances such as dopamine that are released by the brain under certain conditions, for example when one prays, he said, and produce rewarding sensations.

Crick said, "Once the detailed workings of the brain are eventually revealed, erroneous Christian concepts about the nature of humans and the world would no longer be required."

Pierre Simon Laplace

French physicist and mathematician whose work was pivotal to the development of modern physics and astronomy. Laplace is referred to as the Newton of France and has been described as possessing a phenomenal natural mathematical faculty superior to that of any of his contemporaries.

Napoleon said to Laplace, "You have written this huge book on the system of the world without once mentioning the author of the universe [God]." Laplace replied: "Sire, I had no need of that hypothesis."

Laplace was the first astronomer to theorize that the solar system could have originated from a cloud of gas. To the end of his life, he remained a skeptic and his last words were, "Man follows only phantoms."

Erwin Schrödinger

Austrian theoretical physicist, pioneer of wave quantum mechanics and winner of the 1933 Nobel Prize in physics. Erwin lost a marriage proposal to his love (Felicie Krauss) because of his atheistic worldview.

He rejected traditional religious beliefs (Jewish, Christian, and Islamic) not on the basis of any reasoned argument, nor even with an expression of hostility (for he loved to use religious expressions and metaphors), but simply by saying that they are "naive".

"I am born into an environment, I know not whence I came nor whither I go nor who I am. This is my situation as yours, every single one of you. The fact that everyone always was in this same situation, and always will be, tells me nothing," Erwin said in 1951, "our burning question as to the whence and whither, all we can ourselves observe about it is the present environment. That is why we are eager to find out about it as much as we can. That is science, learning, knowledge; it is the true source of every spiritual endeavor of man.


Meghnad Saha

Bengali Indian astrophysicist, who was the first to relate the temperature of stars to their spectrum. He was repeatedly and unsuccessfully nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physics because work done in astronomy was not eligible for Nobel Prize at the time.

Saha was well-versed in all the religious texts, Hindu or Islamic, though his interest in them was purely academic and he declared himself an atheist very early on (Meghnad Saha, scientist with a vision, National Book Trust, India).

Steven Weinberg

He was an American theoretical physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1979 for the unification of electromagnetism and the weak force into the electroweak force. In the 2006 book "The God Delusion", Richard Dawkins identified Steven Weinberg as an atheist.

Then in 2008, Weinberg was asked whether he really was atheistic. "Yes, I don't believe in God," he replied, "..but I don't make a religion out of not believing in God. I don't organize my life around that." He had also earlier said, "With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil, that, takes religion."


Hans Bethe

German theoretical physicist and Nobel laureate in physics for his work on the theory of stellar nucleosynthesis, which is the creation of chemical elements by nuclear fusion reactions within stars, hence the phrase, "we are made of star stuff."

Despite having a religious background (Protestantism), he was not religious even in his early life. For the 2001 book, "The Voice Of Genius: Conversations With Nobel Scientists And Other Luminaries", Denis Brian asked Bethe, about his religious views. Bethe immediately replied, "I am an atheist."

Kip Thorne

American theoretical physicist and winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize in physics, known for his contributions in gravitational physics, astrophysics and for his role in the making of the international blockbuster, "Interstellar."

Thorne's academic parents were members of The Mormon Church and he was raised in the Latter-Day Saints faith. He lost his beliefs as he grew older and has described himself atheist since in a 2014 interview. Thorne also said, "Even though I do not believe in God, there are large numbers of my finest colleagues who are quite devout."


James Franck

He was a Nobel Prize winning German physicist who helped the dismissed Jewish scientists find work overseas when the Nazis came to power in 1933. Franck also resigned his post in protest. His work included the famous Franck–Hertz experiment, which was an important confirmation of the Bohr model of the atom.

His father was a devout and religious man, while his mother came from a family of rabbis. Franck, although proud of his Jewish heritage, commented that "science was his God", and "nature his religion". He did not require his daughters to attend religious instruction classes at school, and even let them have a decorated tree at Christmas.


John Bell

It was John Bell who investigated quantum theory in the greatest depth and established what the theory can tell us about the fundamental nature of the physical world. His work led to the possibility of exploring philosophical questions, such as the nature of reality, directly through physical experiments.

Bell's parents were protestants but he was not forced to accept religion on faith. In fact, he had declared he'd become a scientist when he was only 11 years old. And as he grew older, John certainly became less interested in Protestantism and his wife, Mary (who was a physicist like Bell), later reported that her husband was an atheist all his adult life.


Herbert Kroemer

He is a German American theoretical physicist who has contributed to the development of semiconductor devices, especially semiconductor heterostructures, which are used in high-speed electronics. He was awarded Nobel Prize in physics (2000).

In a video interview, Kroemer is asked, "So you have no belief in afterlife?", because of his atheistic worldview. He replied, "That is correct." Interviewer: "Don't you see the evidence of a designer?" Kroemer responded again with a brief, "No I do not.."remark. Interviewer, now a little frustrated, said, "Could you please say more about it?" Kroemer: "I think life after death is just wishful thinking."

15 Famous Physicists Who Were Agnostic

The word agnosticism was first publicly coined in 1869 by Thomas Huxley, a British biologist and champion of the Darwinian theory of evolution. He coined it as a suitable label for his own position. Following is a list of 15 physicists who were agnostics.

John Bardeen

Two time Nobel Prize winner in physics, first for his pioneering invention of the transistor, and second for the theory of superconductivity, American physicist John Bardeen, was an agnostic by choice.

He was once taken by surprise when an interviewer asked him a question about religion. "I am not a religious person," he said, "..and so do not think about it very much." But then he went on in a rare elaboration of his personal beliefs.

John added, "Science is a field which grows continuously with ever expanding frontiers but I feel that unlike religion it's never been done to give you the ultimate purpose in life. With religion, however, one can get some answers on faith. Most scientists, I think, leave these questions of life open and perhaps unanswerable, but they do abide by a code of moral values."

John was resolutely agnostic throughout his life.

J.C. Bose

Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose was an Indian biophysicist who invented the crescograph, a device that could detect very small motions within plant tissues. With this instrument, he showed for the first time, that plants also felt joy and pain.

Bose believed agnosticism to be the real essence of science and scientific method. A man shall not say he knows or believes that which he has "no scientific grounds" for professing to know or believe. He laid the foundations of "Basu Bigyan Mandir" (Bose's temple of scientific knowledge) in Kolkata, West Bengal.

Bose had famously said, "Not mere imagination and belief, but observation and experiment are the ultimate way of gaining knowledge or reaching the goal of acquiring truth."

Marie Curie

Two time Nobel Prize winner, one in physics and the other in Chemistry, first and only woman to achieve so, Madame Curie was an agnostic, from an early age. Her father Władysław Skłodowski was an atheist while her mother Bronisława Skłodowska a devout Catholic.

Her husband (also Nobel Prize winning physicist) Pierre Curie was an atheist. Neither wanted a religious service for their marriage ceremony. She wore a dark blue outfit, instead of a bridal gown, which would be worn by her in the laboratory for years to come.

In her final years, Marie advocated actively to encourage scientific temper in the general public, "Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more so that we may fear less," she would say.

Edwin Hubble

American astrophysicist who played a pivotal role in establishing the fields of extragalactic astronomy and observational cosmology. Hubble's most brilliant observation was that the red shift of galaxies was directly proportional to the distance of the galaxy from earth.

He said, "We do not know why we are born into the world, but we can try to find out what sort of a world it is, at least in its physical aspects." His life was dedicated to science and the objective world of phenomena.

When a friend asked Hubble about his beliefs, he replied, "The whole thing is so much bigger than I am, and I cannot understand it, so I just trust myself to it; and forget about it." Hubble remained an agnostic until his death.

Freeman Dyson

British-American theoretical physicist, who is famous for his work in quantum electrodynamics, solid-state physics and astronomy. Dyson was raised in what he has described as a “watered-down Church of England Christianity.” But he identifies himself as an agnostic.

He once said in a speech, "Science and religion are two windows that people look through, trying to understand the big universe outside, trying to understand why we are here. The two windows give different views, but they look out at the same universe."

"Both views are one-sided, neither is complete. Both leave out essential features of the real world. And both are worthy of respect. But trouble arises when either science or religion claims universal jurisdiction, when either religious or scientific dogma claims to be infallible," he added.

Albert Einstein

Many believers refer to some of his quotes and thus try to claim the greatest scientist of the 20th century as one of their own. However, Einstein also had famously said, "I feel that the idea of a personal God is a childlike one."

He added in 1941, "I was barked at by numerous dogs who are earning their food guarding ignorance and superstition for the benefit of those who profit from it. Then there are the fanatical atheists whose intolerance is of the same kind as the intolerance of the religious fanatics and comes from the same source."

In 1949, Einstein was prompted once again to describe his religious beliefs, "I prefer an attitude of humility corresponding to the weakness of our intellectual understanding of nature and of our own being," he said, "you may call me an agnostic, but I do not share the crusading spirit of the professional atheist."

C.V. Raman

Sir Chandrashekhara Venkat Raman was influential in the growth of science in India. He was the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of the "Raman Effect" which has its use in chemistry to provide a structural fingerprint by which molecules can be identified.

Raman was born into an orthodox South Indian Brahmin family but his interests in physics kept him away from religious or spiritual activities. He avidly read Charles Bradlaugh, the English founder of the National Secular Society and Herbert Spencer, the English polymath who contributed to agnosticism.

Rosalind Franklin

She was a British biophysicist and x-ray crystallographer who made important contributions to the understanding of the fine molecular structures of DNA, RNA and Graphite. When asked about her beliefs, she replied, "Science is my religion."

Her lack of religious faith did not stem from anyone's influence, rather from her own line of thinking. She developed her skepticism as a young child. Her mother recalled that she refused to believe in the existence of God, and remarked, "Well, anyhow, how do you know He isn't She?"

She added, "I see no reason to believe that a creator of protoplasm or primeval matter, if such there be, has any reason to be interested in our insignificant race in a tiny corner of the universe." However, Rosalind did not completely abandon Jewish traditions.

Enrico Fermi

Italian physicist who is known for the development of the first nuclear reactor and for his contributions to the development of quantum theory and nuclear physics. Fermi was awarded the 1938 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work.

Although Enrico was baptised a Roman Catholic in accordance with his grandparents' wishes, his parents were not particularly religious. His attitude to the church eventually became one of indifference, and he remained an agnostic all his adult life.

Eugene Wigner

The Hungarian physicist was the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1963 for his contributions to the theory of the atomic nucleus and the elementary particles, particularly through the discovery and application of fundamental symmetry principles.

Wigner's family was Jewish but not religiously observant and his Bar Mitzvah was a secular one. He told his Biographer about his religious views, "I liked a good sermon. But then religion tells people how to behave and that I could never do."

He added, "Clergymen also had to assume and advocate the presence of God, and proofs of God's existence seemed to me quite unsatisfactory. People claimed that God had made our earth. Well, how had He made it? With an earth-making machine?"

Carl Sagan

Famed American astrophysicist Carl Sagan was a renowned skeptic and agnostic who during his life refused to believe in anything unless there was physical evidence to support it.

His most well-known scientific contribution is research on extraterrestrial life, including experimental demonstration of the production of amino acids from basic chemicals by radiation. He was also known as "people's astronomer".

In reply to a question in 1996 about his religious beliefs, Sagan answered, "I'm agnostic." Sagan maintained that the idea of a creator God of the Universe was difficult to prove or disprove.

He also wrote, "Some people think God is a light-skinned male with a long beard, sitting on a throne somewhere up there in the sky, busily tallying the fall of every sparrow. Others, for example Einstein, considered God to be essentially the sum total of the physical laws which describe the universe."

Lisa Randall

She is an American theoretical physicist who works on the models of string theory in the quest to explain the structure of the universe. Her best known contribution to the field is the Randall–Sundrum model, first published in 1999. She has described herself agnostic.

In a 2006 interview, Lisa was asked whether or not she believed in God. She said, "Faith just doesn't have anything to do with what I'm doing as a scientist. It is nice if you can believe in God, because then you can see more of a purpose in many things."

"But even if you don't, though," she added, "..it doesn't mean that there's no purpose. It doesn't mean that there's no goodness. I think that there's a virtue in being good in and of itself. I think it's a problem that people are considered immoral if they're not religious. That's just not true."


Paul Dirac

He was rightfully declared the successor of Maxwell and Einstein when he worked on the reconciliation of general relativity with quantum mechanics. Dirac also predicted the existence of anti-matter for which he was given Nobel Prize in 1933.

He said in 1927, "We scientists have to be honest and must admit that religion is a jumble of false assertions with no basis in reality. The very idea of God is a product of the human imagination. Nowadays, when we understand stuff with so many natural explanations, we have no need for such solutions."

His wife Manci, (who was the younger sister of physicist Eugene Wigner), claimed, "My husband wasn't an atheist. In Italy, once, he said, "If there is a God, he has to be a great mathematician. He did say if."

Dirac explained why he was agnostic and not an atheist, "If physical laws are such that to start off life involves an excessively small chance, then there must be a god, and such a god would probably be showing his influence in the quantum jumps which are taking place later on."

"On the other hand," Dirac added, "..if life can start naturally on other planets (by chemical or biological means) and does not need any divine influence, then I will say that there is no god." Dirac remained agnostic throughout his life because the question of origin of life was not answered.


Murray Gell-Mann

He was an American physicist who received the 1969 Nobel Prize in Physics for his model of quark (an elementary particle which combines with itself to formulate heavier particles like proton and neutron).

Murray called life a complex adaptive system which produces interesting phenomena, "Life can emerge from physics and chemistry, plus a lot of accidents. The human mind can arise from neurobiology, and a lot of accidents," he said.

"People keep asking me", Murray went on, "...isn't there something more beyond what you have there? Presumably they mean something "supernatural" but anyway, there isn't; you don't need something more to explain something more."


Henri Poincaré

Jules Henri Poincaré was a French physicist and mathematician who's known for his work in various fields of physics such as optics, mechanics, thermodynamics and relativity. He also contributed to the theory of algebra and geometry.

He used to say, "To doubt everything or to believe everything are two equally convenient options; but both require sincere introspection." He wrote the book, "The value of science" in 1905, in which he had declared that the hypothesis of God is incomplete and imperfect.

10 Recommended Books For Physics Students

The following is a complete (all-you-need) list of books that every physics student has to have in their library at home. From popular science best-sellers, to comprehensive guides and textbooks, this has it all. Want to study physics? Then read these books!

A brief history of time

Hawking wrote the book for non-specialist readers with no prior knowledge of physics and astronomy. He clearly possessed a natural teacher's gifts: easy good-natured humour and ability to illustrate the complexities of the subject through well thought out analogies.

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The book has sold more than 10 million copies in 20 years, and was translated into more than 30 languages by 2001. You may like to know: what makes it everyone's favorite? There are many, many things, including:

• A concise introduction by renowned astronomer, Carl Sagan, who declares Hawking a worthy successor of Newton and Dirac
• A whole range of topics (from the big bang to black holes) makes it the single best book on astrophysics for the common reader
  
• Illustrations by award-winning artist, Ron Miller, add to the beauty and mystery of science
• Mix of history and philosophy of physics and narration by Stephen Hawking

All in all, the book is a masterpiece, suggested to anyone who's driven by their curiosity. It infuses our thinking and questioning with a spiritual aspect: was there a beginning of time? why there's something rather than nothing? is the universe infinite or does it have boundaries? and, is there a god required to create it?

Feynman lectures Vol.1

Nobel Prize winning physicist, Richard Feynman, has often been called "the great explainer", particularly because of this book, which is held in high regard, especially by teachers, and even by leading physicists of the current times.

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There are 52 chapters in the first Feynman book alone, and each topic has been presented with unwavering enthusiasm and insight. The book is based on a series of lectures delivered by Feynman (on the request of California Institute of Technology) to undergraduate students. Even professors attended the lectures!

The Feynman lectures on physics are beautiful books, which will teach you a considerable amount of the long-view of physics. They will also inspire you and have you feeling as though you really understand physics for the first time in your life. Mainly mechanics, radiation and heat is recommended for the start.

Mathematical Methods

What is physics without maths? Plain observation, to be honest! Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to get yourself familiar with mathematical methods in order for you to translate the physical reality into concrete concepts and language. There are hundreds of books available but none of them as good as this one:

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What makes it stand out from the crowd? As you can tell from the image, it is a thick textbook (1362 pages) of math, containing 31 chapters: from preliminary algebra, to beginner and advanced-level calculus, from complex numbers to quantum operators. In short, whatever's required to do physics and engineering, the book has it!



Quantum mechanics

This book written by renowned American physicist and professor Leonard Susskind is an excellent introduction to quantum mechanics from the ground level (pun intended). It contains in-depth physics as well as minimum mathematical tools required to tackle the most bizarre field of science.

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One may also consider the book by David Griffiths which is more mathematically inclined than Susskind's book. The book is full of illustrative examples and numerical exercises at the end of each chapter. For fun and non-serious reading, buy Graphic guide to Quantum mechanics.

For the love of physics

In this book, Professor Walter Lewin will introduce a mystery and then show how you can understand it with just a little bit of physics. 'The' Bill Gates himself has endorsed the book by saying, "The book captures Lewin's extraordinary intellect, passion for physics, and brilliance as a teacher."

According to Walter Lewin, "Teachers who make physics boring are criminals.. and if you hate physics, you have probably learned it from the wrong teacher." Because, he says, "Physics is naturally interesting!"

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For more than 40 years, Professor Lewin has honed his singular craft of making physics not only accessible but truly fun.This book has his stories, his research in physics, tips on teaching, and serves as an all-round motivation for students, to love and enjoy physics of everyday life.

When you finish reading the book, you will feel blessed, reminded of the tiny miracles of physics, happening all the time, around you. According to one review on Amazon, "If you like physics, this book's for you. If you hate physics, this book's for you. Lewin is phenomenal!"



Relativity

Published by Einstein himself with the aim of giving an exact insight into the theory of relativity to those readers who, from a general scientific and philosophical point of view, are interested in the theory, but who are not conversant with the mathematical toolkit of theoretical physics.

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Both special and general versions of the theory have been included in the book. Einstein has succeeded in putting across the fundamentals of his theory for undergraduate students before they can decide to go deep in the field.

Handbook of formulas

If you want to keep important notes, key terms, definitions and formulae of physics by your side, then this book is made for you. It is about 450 pages thick and recommended for revision purposes in all exams, especially for classes 11 and 12.

The chapters have been illustrated with well-designed diagrams and illustrations with examples. The book is a handy book, which can be used as ready reference. On the whole, the data is precise and presented in a form that can help students in the long run.

Cosmos

The word "cosmos" has ancient origin but popularized first by American astronomer Carl Sagan in the twentieth century. In this book, he has told the story of fifteen billion years of cosmic evolution, science and civilization, in the most comprehensible and exciting way.

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This book has 13 chapters on a range of topics: astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, psychology and philosophy. In one sentence, "it is amalgamation of the sciences" in one book, a complete text that every mind passionate about learning must own.

In fact, the book also became an inspiration for the likes of Neil deGrasse Tyson, who went on to become an astrophysicist himself! He followed further in the footsteps of his hero and created a TV show of the same name, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey.

Written some 38 years ago, the book single-handedly managed to draw the attention of people towards the wonders of science; for the first time in history, science no more seemed alien and became a thing of familiarity. Cosmos is relevant even today, for the data, the thought processes, the inferences remain all the same.

Halliday Resnick Walker

This well-known textbook is often called the bible for physics. It is recommended for high school students to prepare for competitive examinations like IIT-JEE. In 2002, the American Physical Society named it the most outstanding introductory physics text of the 20th century.

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The textbook covers all the fundamental topics in physics:

• Mechanics
• Waves
• Thermodynamics
• Electromagnetism
• Optics
• Special Relativity
• Quantum theory
• Nuclear physics
• Cosmology

It is as good as its Indian equivalent Concepts of Physics by H.C. Verma. The book by Professor Verma is divided over two parts but this book is 1300 pages, all-in-one, making it the first choice of many aspirants.

Autobiography of Feynman

Richard Feynman was an artist, a story-teller and an everyday joker whose life was a combination of his intelligence, curiosity and uncertainty. This book is his autobiography written with his friend Ralph Leighton.

According to one review, "It is a good funny read for everyone who loves physics and common sense. Easy and engaging language which takes you back in those days when Feynman stood tall among all giants of physics like Bohr, Bethe, Oppenheimer etc."

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Why is this book included in the list? Firstly, because it is entertainment coming from a Nobel Prize winning scientist! Of course when you're tired of struggling with maths and physics, you want to have some fun, and if reading happens to be your hobby, this book has numerous hilarious anecdotes from Feynman's personal life.

Second, this book also is motivational in nature. Feynman has continuously reminded his readers that even the idiotic, ordinary or average folk, can go on to achieve great things in life. He has then given valuable tips on how to learn and how to teach physics. So overall, this book is a good read for any physics student.

What Are 7 Qualities of A Great Physics Teacher?

Educational rockstar

All the excellent physics teachers are great communicators who draw the attention of their students without fail. Why, because they are witty, humorous and confident when they teach physics. Take Professor Walter Lewin, for example, whose videos have received more than 50 million views on YouTube, collectively.

Real world examples

There are innumerable teachers who merely repeat what's in the textbook and then there are few, who make physics fun and accessible through analogies plucked from daily life.

Paul G. Hewitt has a unique approach to teaching physics that focuses on the ideas rather than the often daunting mathematics. He has believed that with a strong conceptual foundation, students are better equipped to understand the equations and formulas later.

Passion for it

A good physics teacher has not only deep knowledge about the subject but also desire to pass it on to others. Richard Feynman had once said, "I find that teaching and the students keep life going, and I would never accept any position in which somebody has invented a happy situation for me where I don't have to teach. Never!"

To this day, Feynman is mostly remembered not because he was a great scientist but because he was an extraordinary teacher who became guide for his students in time of trouble. He used to say, "teach them to doubt, to think, to question, to make mistakes, to learn from their mistakes and most importantly, to have fun in their learning."

Adaptable

All the good physics teachers listen well, focus on collaboration with their students and adapt to new teaching methods. Sal(man) Khan from Khan Academy is an example who's determined to teach by using technology. Also, Professors Walter Lewin and Gilbert Strang from MIT have adjusted well even in old age.

Gilbert Strang

Approachability

Every good physics teacher is friendly and approachable. Furthermore, he/she is not afraid of doubts, problems and/or feedback from their students. In fact, the good teacher is forever ready to struggle with questions, also taking their students as partners! Walter Lewin, for example, used to accept questions on Quora. Now, he is more available on YouTube and replies to questions in comments. He is 85 years old.

Candle in the dark

In early 1980, H.C. Verma joined the Patna Science College as a lecturer. He found that the students were uninterested in physics because it was too difficult. Also, there weren't any textbooks available in the Indian market which were even remotely relatable.

Thus, a young Professor Verma set about to solve the problem of his students. Ten years later, in 1992, a new book by the name, 'concepts of physics' was published and it became an instant favorite in India. To this day, the book is being used by many science and engineering aspirants. Professor Verma became and burned like candle, illuminating the darkened lives of incurious physics students.

Self development

A bad physics teacher will often beat around the bush in order to hide the fact that he/she does not know. On the other hand, all the good physics teachers accept that they don't know and/or that they're wrong, and moreover, they want to continue to learn.