By Savannah Gignac, Assistant Photo Librarian
Physicists and their Pets
Schrödinger's cat proves to be the most infamous “pet” of physics. When it comes to the animal kingdom, physicists have found great friendship from their furry pals. Our May Photos of the Month feature scientists with their pets. Dogs, cats, horses, and gerbils can be found running through our collection of scientists and their daily lives outside the workplace. Make sure not to miss Hubble’s black cat, named Nicolas Copernicus, or Oppenheimer and his horse, Crisis. These and many more images can be found on our website. Please enjoy our featured selection from our historical photos collection of these and other famous pets. To see more images like the ones we’ve selected, type “pets” into the search engine.
Description: Heinrich Kayser walking a dog outdoors.
Date: Unknown
Credit: AIP Emilio Segre Visual Archives, W. F. Meggers Collection
Description: Portrait of Henry Crew at 9 years of age, with his dog, in Richmond, Ohio.
Date: Unknown
Credit: AIP Emilio Segre Visual Archives
Description: Robert Oppenheimer with his horse, Crisis, at his New Mexico ranch.
Date: Unknown
Credit: Mrs. J. Robert Oppenheimer, courtesy AIP Emilio Segre Visual Archives
Description: Edwin Powell Hubble seated with his cat Nicolas Copernicus, behind an armillary sphere and next to an orrery.
Date: March, 1953
Credit: Huntington Library, courtesy AIP Emilio Segre Visual Archives
Description: Henry Barton and dog, Telyn, in their yard in Greensboro, Vermont.
Date: 1959
Credit: AIP Emilio Segre Visual Archives, Barton Collection
Description: 'Twelve year old John Meggers (son of William F. Meggers), and two of his favorite friends, guinea pigs born Christmas Eve, are pictured in front of a pile of logs split by his father.' Appeared in the Washington Post Rotogravure Section.
Date: February 23, 1941
Credit: Photo by Joseph S. McCoy, Jr., Washington Post. Contact the Washington Post for information about this photo.