David Raymond Layzer (December 31, 1925 – August 16, 2019) was an American astrophysicist, cosmologist, and the Donald H. Menzel Professor Emeritus of Astronomy at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

. He is known for his cosmological theory of the expansion of the universe, which postulates that its order and information are increasing despite the

second law of thermodynamics The second law of thermodynamics is a physical law based on universal experience concerning heat and energy interconversions. One simple statement of the law is that heat always moves from hotter objects to colder objects (or "downhill"), unles ...

. He is also known for being one of the most notable researchers who advocated for a

Cold Big Bang Cold Big Bang is a designation used in cosmology to denote an absolute zero temperature at the beginning of the Universe, instead of a (hot) Big Bang. In an attempt to understand the origin of atoms, Georges Lemaître proposed (by 1927) that befor ...

theory. When he proposed this theory in 1966, he suggested it would solve Olbers' paradox, which holds that the night sky on Earth should be much brighter than it actually is. He also published several articles critiquing hereditarian views on

human intelligence Human intelligence is the intellectual capability of humans, which is marked by complex cognitive feats and high levels of motivation and self-awareness. High intelligence is associated with better outcomes in life. Through intelligence, humans ...

, such as those of Richard Herrnstein and Arthur Jensen. He became a member of the

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, ...

since 1963, and was also a member of Divisions B and J of the

International Astronomical Union The International Astronomical Union (IAU; french: link=yes, Union astronomique internationale, UAI) is a nongovernmental organisation with the objective of advancing astronomy in all aspects, including promoting astronomical research, outreach ...

. He died in Belmont at the age of 93 in 2019.

References

External links

Profile
at the Information Philosopher

David Layzer Memorial Website 1925 births 2019 deaths Scientists from Cleveland American astrophysicists American cosmologists Harvard University faculty Harvard University alumni Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences American astronomers {{US-astronomer-stub