The emergence of quantum schools: Munich, Göttingen and Copenhagen as new centers of atomic theory (Q2746690)

The institutes of Arnold Sommerfeld in Munich, Niels Bohr in Copenhagen and Max Born in Göttingen were the leading centers for the study of quantum theory in the first decades of the twentieth century. On the basis of a succinct description of the social and intellectual environment of these schools of theoretical atomic physics, the author insists upon the need of new perspectives for quantum history. With reference to the famous statement by Friedrich Hund that quantum mechanics was the synthesis of the styles of thought of Copenhagen, Munich and Göttingen, Eckert argues that the history of these three schools mirrors the quantum revolution much better than disjointed biographical studies.