Born Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA, 2 March 1902
Died Boulder, Colorado, USA, 26 March 1974
Edward Condon was one of the twentieth century’s leaders in the field of quantum mechanics, involved in the development of the first atomic bomb, and asked to make a detailed, scientific, study of Unidentified Flying Objects [UFOs] due to his unimpeachable standing among scientists. Astronomers most often cite his work with R. W. Gurney on barrier penetration for the β-decay of Uranium, which showed, by implication, that fusion of hydrogen to helium could be achieved at stellar temperatures.
Condon was born in Alamogordo, New Mexico. His father, William Edward Condon, was a construction supervisor of railroads and later a journalist in Oakland, California. His mother was Carolyn Uhler Condon. Edward Condon’s son also was a physicist. Edward was raised a Quaker.
Condon worked 3 years in Oakland as a journalist, married Emilie Honzig, and obtained his A. B. and Ph.D. from the University of...
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Wilds, R.P. (2014). Condon, Edward Uhler. In: Hockey, T., et al. Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9917-7_9247
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