Today's question is a double bill (or whammy depending on how you look at it!). They are unconnected except for this month being the 50th anniversary of X and this year the 500th anniversary of Y.
X was a lecture given by a famous scientist to the American Physical Society meeting in Caltech, Pasadena, CA in 1959 which is widely considered to have given birth to the field of nanotechnology. Although the scientist in question was very popular in his field, his seminal contributions being in the 40s, he didn't then enjoy the public status he achieved after his nobel prize in the 60s and a famous autobiography in the 80s. In the lecture, which was only cited 7 times till the 70s but is now found in the first paragraph of numerous nanatechnology papers, he described possibilities like computers that wouldn't fill entire rooms and all the information of the world on a small slab of material as well as nano-assembly and robots in the blood stream, which are still just dreams.
Y was a famous emperor who presided over the most glorious period of his dynasty. Coronated in 1509, he expanded his empire in size, repulsed attacks from Timurid invaders and was a great patron of the arts. His capital, in ruins today, is a world heritage site and his legacy is claimed by many language groups. Much information about his reign comes from Portuguese travellers. Timmurusu was to him what Kautilya was to Chandragupta Maurya.
Enjoy finding the scientist in X and Y!
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11 comments:
X = Richard Feynman's Lecture?
Y = No idea
X I think is Feynman, no clue about Y
X is Feynman. Y...
X is Richard Feynman
Y is Krishna Deva Raya
Richard Feynman and Charles 1 of Spain
X = Richard Feynman
Y = Akbar? (the city = Fatehpur Sikri, Timmurusu was another name for Birbal?)
The first answer is Richard Feynman's famous nanotechnology lecture.
Had to search online for the 2nd answer: Krishna Dev Raya.
Feynman, I dont know the other ruler. Though I know Kautilya refers to the Prime minister, often ascribed to Chanakya.
X - Richard Feynman's lecture
Y - Akbar?
X was a talk given by Richard Feynman. I think the name is "there is more room at the bottom than you imagine" or something like that.
Y was Krishna Deva Raya, ruler of the Vijayanagar empire.
X is indeed Richard Feynman's lecture "There's plenty of room at the bottom", which I would recommend as an inspiring read with the benefit of so much hindsight that we command today.
Y is Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara dynasty who was coronated in 1509 and during whose reign Vijayanagara finally repulsed Bahmani raids and reached its most glorious in territorial extent and cultural prowess. The Karnataka govt. is celebrating his anniversary this year but his legacy is claimed by Telugu speakers too. His capital Hampi is a World Heritage site.
Congratulations to Ankur, AJ, Sanjit, D, Kane, PS, Nikhil, Misfit, Dev and Sailesh for identifying the Scientist behind X. Added Kudos to Sailesh and D for cracking Y also.
cheers!
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