Abstract
Freeman J. Dyson, one of the foremost minds of the 20th century, passed away on February 28, 2020 at the age of 96. An astute explorer of the natural world, Dyson’s contributions transcended preconceived boundaries and created bridges between the sciences and the humanities. As an author, Dyson brought stunning clarity to the beauty and complexity of the universe and human experience. Freeman J. Dyson. Image credit: Andrea Kane (Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ). Trained as a mathematician, Dyson gained early fame in the world of theoretical physics, proving the equivalency of two theories of quantum electrodynamics to describe how light and matter interact. Claiming to have a short attention span, Dyson took pleasure in jumping from one field to the next. His journey led to breakthrough advances in the design of safe nuclear reactors, nuclear-powered space travel, solid-state physics, ferromagnetism, astrophysics, biology, and applied mathematics. An eternal optimist and unflinching advocate for the future of human civilization, Dyson was a leading voice for nuclear disarmament and fostering intellectual diversity. During the Second World War, Dyson worked as a civilian scientist for the Royal Air Force’s Bomber Command, an experience that … [↵][1]1Email: rdijkgraaf{at}ias.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
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