John Wheeler was a renowned American theoretical physicist, born on July 9, 1911, in Jacksonville, Florida, and passed away on April 13, 2008, in Hightstown, New Jersey. Wheeler's contributions to the field of physics were profound, covering a broad spectrum from nuclear physics to quantum mechanics, general relativity, and cosmology.
Wheeler graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 1933 with a Ph.D. in physics. His early work was influenced by his advisor, Karl Komar, and he soon moved into the realm of theoretical physics, which would become his lifelong passion.
In his later years, Wheeler continued to explore the foundations of quantum mechanics, notably through the thought experiment known as "Wheeler's delayed choice experiment," which probes the nature of reality and the role of the observer in quantum mechanics. He also mentored many future physicists, including Richard Feynman and Hugh Everett, influencing the course of physics through his teaching and research.
Wheeler received numerous awards, including the Enrico Fermi Award, the Wolf Prize, and the National Medal of Science. He was also elected to the National Academy of Sciences.