Origins & Early Life

Wilhelm Carl Werner Otto Fritz Franz Wien (German: [ˈvɪlhɛlm ˈviːn] ; 13 January 1864 – 30 August 1928) was a German physicist who used theories about heat and electromagnetism to deduce Wien's displacement law, which calculates the emission of a blackbody at any temperature from the emission at any one reference temperature. Wien also formulated an expression for the black-body radiation, which is correct in the photon-gas limit. His arguments were based on the notion of adiabatic invariance, and were instrumental for the formulation of quantum mechanics. Wien received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1911 for his work on heat radiation.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He was a cousin of Max Wien, inventor of the Wien bridge. Wien was born on 13 January 1864 in Gaffken (now Parusnoye, Russia), Prussia, the son of landowner Carl Wien. In 1866, his family moved to Drachenstein (now Smokowo, Poland). In 1879, Wien went to school in Rastenburg (now Kętrzyn, Poland) and from 1880 to 1882 he attended the city school of Heidelberg. In 1882, he attended the University of Göttingen and the University of Berlin.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

From 1883 to 1885, he worked in the laboratory of Hermann von Helmholtz and, in 1886...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Agnès Varda — Contemporary (Born in 1928) (1928): Pioneering French filmmaker, artist, and documentarian celebrated for her unique vision.
• Alan J. Pakula — Contemporary (Born in 1928) (1928): American film director, writer, and producer known for political thrillers.
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• 1864 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1864
• January 13 (01-13) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 13
• 1928 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1928
• August 30 (08-30) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on August 30