Research
Research
Bell Labs Murray Hill right crop promo
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R/V Vema under full sail
History Spotlight
History
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Guide
History of Bell Labs Physical Research, 1980–2006
A new history initiative collecting essays contributed by former Bell Labs scientists
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Women in the History of Quantum Physics
New resources highlight the role of women in the revolutionary physics of quantum mechanics and complementing Women in the History of Quantum Physics from Cambridge University Press.
Voyages of the R/V Vema
Our exhibit on the Columbia University Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory’s research vessel Vema offers a detailed look into its science and the scientists who sailed on board.
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Explore History

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Explore History

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AIP has presented knowledge about the history of physics in a variety of methods over the years. We have designed web exhibits for the general public and teaching guides for use in school curricula. Our most recent initiative is the development of a network of history guides that organize and interconnect information about the past.

History Guides

Williamina Fleming portrait
History
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Guide
Williamina Fleming
FEB 23, 2026
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History
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Guide
Lucy Mensing
JAN 30, 2026
Harvard College Observatory wide crop
History
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Guide
Harvard College Observatory
MAR 15, 2026
Bell Labs in Murray Hill aerial
History
/
Guide
History of Bell Labs Physical Research, 1980–2006
FEB 17, 2026

Web Exhibits

View All Exhibits
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Albert Einstein: Image and Impact (1996)
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The Discovery of Global Warming (2003, last updated in 2025)
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Bright Idea: The First Lasers (2010)
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The Voyages of the R/V Vema (2021)

Teaching Guides: Women in the Physical Sciences

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History
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Article
Teaching Guide: The Physical Sciences at Women’s Colleges
NOV 15, 2019
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History
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Article
Teaching Guide: Struggle for Employment: Anti-Nepotism Laws in the Academy
AUG 09, 2016
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History
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Article
Teaching Guide: Subtle Discrimination
NOV 15, 2019
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History
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Article
Teaching Guide: Strategies and Compromises: Women in Astronomy at Harvard College Observatory, 1870-1920
AUG 04, 2016

Teaching Guides: The Black Experience in the Physical Sciences

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History
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Article
Teaching Guide: African Americans in Astronomy and Astrophysics
JUN 12, 2017
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History
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Article
Teaching Guide: African American Inventors in History
OCT 13, 2022
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History
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Article
Teaching Guide: Historical Detective: Edward Alexander Bouchet and the Washington-Du Bois Debate over African-American Education
AUG 03, 2016
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History
/
Article
Teaching Guide: Dr. Elmer Imes and Spectroscopy
AUG 04, 2016
Image Credits

R/V Vema. Photo courtesy of Library of Congress, Geography and Maps Division, Heezen-Tharp Collection | Walter Michels and Jane Dewey. Photo by Samuel Goudsmit, AIP Emilio Segrè Visual Archives, Goudsmit Collection | J. David Jackson near Aspen, Colorado. AIP Emilio Segrè Visual Archives, Jackson Collection