Heinz Oberhummer was an Austrian
physicist
A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate cau ...
and
skeptic
Skepticism ( US) or scepticism ( UK) is a questioning attitude or doubt toward knowledge claims that are seen as mere belief or dogma. For example, if a person is skeptical about claims made by their government about an ongoing war then the p ...
.
Biography
Heinz Oberhummer was born in
Bischofshofen
Bischofshofen () is a List of cities and towns in Austria, town in the district of St. Johann im Pongau District, St. Johann im Pongau in the Austrian federal state of Salzburg (state), Salzburg. It is an important traffic junction located both on ...
and grew up in
Obertauern
Obertauern is a tourist destination which is located in the Radstädter Tauern in the Salzburger Land of Austria. The winter sports resort is separated in two communities: Tweng and Untertauern.
Geography
Obertauern lies in the southeast of th ...
, Austria. He studied physics at the
University of Graz
The University of Graz (, formerly: ''Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz'') is a public university, public research university located in Graz, Austria. It is the largest and oldest university in Styria, as well as the second-largest and second-old ...
and the
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
The Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (simply University of Munich, LMU or LMU Munich; ) is a public university, public research university in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Originally established as the University of Ingolstadt in 1472 by Duke ...
.
He lived in the village of
Oberwölbling in the
Dunkelsteinerwald
The Dunkelsteinerwald is a hill country south of the Danube in the Mostviertel region of Lower Austria. It is located at the shore of the Danube between Melk and Mautern, south of Krems.
The principal towns of the region are Bergern im Dunk ...
, Lower Austria. Heinz Oberhummer was married and had two children.
Research fields
Heinz Oberhummer was professor emeritus of
Theoretical Physics
Theoretical physics is a branch of physics that employs mathematical models and abstractions of physical objects and systems to rationalize, explain, and predict List of natural phenomena, natural phenomena. This is in contrast to experimental p ...
at the Atominstitut of the
Vienna University of Technology
TU Wien () is a public research university in Vienna, Austria.
The university's teaching and research are focused on engineering, computer science, and natural sciences. It currently has about 28,100 students (29% women), eight faculties, and ...
.
His main research area was
nucleosynthesis
Nucleosynthesis is the process that creates new atomic nuclei from pre-existing nucleons (protons and neutrons) and nuclei. According to current theories, the first nuclei were formed a few minutes after the Big Bang, through nuclear reactions in ...
. He was also involved in questions concerning the
fine-tuning of the Universe.
Oberhummer, Csótó und Schlattl could derive quantifiable results concerning the fine-tuning of the Universe by investigating the creation of
carbon
Carbon () is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalence, tetravalent—meaning that its atoms are able to form up to four covalent bonds due to its valence shell exhibiting 4 ...
and
oxygen
Oxygen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group (periodic table), group in the periodic table, a highly reactivity (chemistry), reactive nonmetal (chemistry), non ...
in the
triple-alpha process
The triple-alpha process is a set of nuclear fusion reactions by which three helium-4 nuclei (alpha particles) are transformed into carbon.
In stars
Helium accumulates in the cores of stars as a result of the proton–proton chain reaction a ...
in
red giant
A red giant is a luminous giant star of low or intermediate mass (roughly 0.3–8 solar masses ()) in a late phase of stellar evolution. The stellar atmosphere, outer atmosphere is inflated and tenuous, making the radius large and the surface t ...
s.
He was the initiator of
Nuclei in the Cosmos, the most important international conference series in the field of nuclear astrophysics taking place for the tenth time in the year 2008 at
Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State o ...
in the United States.
He was especially engaged in the popularisation of scientific contents, including the
new media. He developed Web-based learning and information systems and co-ordinated educational projects funded by the
European Commission
The European Commission (EC) is the primary Executive (government), executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with a number of European Commissioner, members of the Commission (directorial system, informall ...
, such as
Cinema and Science.
He was also engaged in the creation and presentation of popular science with the ' in the Rabenhof Theater in Vienna along with
Werner Gruber
Werner Gruber (born 15 March 1970) is an Austrian physicist, author, lecturer, and cabaret artist and is well known from ORF and as a member of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ).
Biography
Gruber was born in Ostermiething. Grube ...
and
Martin Puntigam and as a weekly radio column and podcast in the Austrian youth radio station
FM4.
He was a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the
Giordano Bruno Foundation and the
(GWUP), the German-speaking branch of the worldwide
skeptical movement
Scientific skepticism or rational skepticism (also spelled scepticism), sometimes referred to as skeptical inquiry, is a position in which one questions the veracity of claims lacking scientific evidence. In practice, the term most commonly ref ...
. Furthermore, he was president of the "Gesellschaft für Kritisches Denken" (the Austrian branch of the GWUP), and of the Austrian "Zentralrat für Konfessionsfreie" (National Council of Non-confessionals. Heinz Oberhummer was president of the
secularist
Secularism is the principle of seeking to conduct human affairs based on naturalistic considerations, uninvolved with religion. It is most commonly thought of as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state and may be broadened ...
initiative "Religion ist Privatsache" (Religion is a private matter). He died in Vienna on 23 November 2015.
Oberhummer Award
After Oberhummer's death, the ''Heinz Oberhummer Award for Science Communication'' was established in his honor. The award is presented by the ', the
(the
Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research
The Ministry of Education (German: ''Bundesministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Forschung'', ''Bildungsministerium'', historically also ''Unterrichtsministerium'') is the government ministry of Austria in charge of public schools and acad ...
until 2019), the
Technical University of Vienna
TU Wien () is a public research university in Vienna, Austria.
The university's teaching and research are focused on engineering, computer science, and natural sciences. It currently has about 28,100 students (29% women), eight faculties, and ...
, the
University of Graz
The University of Graz (, formerly: ''Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz'') is a public university, public research university located in Graz, Austria. It is the largest and oldest university in Styria, as well as the second-largest and second-old ...
, the
City of Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital, most populous city, and one of nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. Its larger metropolitan area has a population of nearly 2.9 millio ...
,
FM4 and the
Austrian Broadcasting Corporation.
Oberhummer Award winners receive a glass of
alpaca
The alpaca (''Lama pacos'') is a species of South American camelid mammal. Traditionally, alpacas were kept in herds that grazed on the level heights of the Andes of Southern Peru, Western Bolivia, Ecuador, and Northern Chile. More recentl ...
droppings and 20,000 euros. The annual ceremony takes place in the in Vienna and is broadcast on national television.
Recipients
References
Selected publications
Kann das alles Zufall sein – Geheimnisvolles Universum?, Ecowin-Verlag, Salzburg, 2008,
* H. Oberhummer: ''Urknall und Sternenstaub – Der Kosmos aus naturwissenschaftlicher Sicht'' In ''Die Idee vom Anfang'', Ritter Verlag, Klagenfurt, Wién, 2008,
* H. Oberhummer: ''Maßarbeit oder Zufall – sind wir nicht anderes als Sternenstaub?'' In ''Der etwas andere Blick auf die Schöpfung'', Haag + Herrchen: Frankfurt, 2007,
* H. Oberhummer (Editor): ''
Nuclei in the Cosmos'', Graduate Texts in Contemporary Physics, Springer Verlag, Heidelberg, 1991,
* H. Oberhummer, A. Patkos, T. Rauscher: ''Origin of the Chemical Elements''. In: ''Handbook of Nuclear Chemistry'', Vol. 2, Kap. 1, Kluwer, 2003,
* H. Oberhummer, A. Csótó, H. Schlattl: ''Stellar production rates of carbon and its abundance in the Universe''
Science 289, 2000, 88* H. Oberhummer: ''Kerne und Sterne: Einführung in die Nukleare Astrophysik''. In German. Barth, Leipzig, Berlin, Heidelberg 1993,
External links
Articles of Heinz Oberhummer in arxiv.orgKann das alles Zufall sein? – Geheimnisvolles Universum, Ecowin-Verlag, 2008; Award for "Best Popular Science Book in Austria 2009"
Science BustersCinema and Science (CISCI)Neue Erkenntnisse zur Entstehung der Grundlagen für Leben
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oberhummer, Heinz
1941 births
2015 deaths
People from Bischofshofen
Austrian physicists
20th-century Austrian astronomers
Austrian skeptics
Austrian male writers
University of Graz alumni
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich alumni
Academic staff of TU Wien
21st-century Austrian astronomers
Science communicators