The Institute for Physics at the University of Heidelberg has had its first dedicated professor in 1752. It has moved several times during its existence, the photo below is from the 1850 building in the centre of Heidelberg’s historical town. Here Robert W. Bunsen and Gustav R. Kirchhoff established the scientific method of spectral analysis. With their spectroscope they discovered hitherto unknown elements, namely Caesium and Rubidium. Most people have heard of Bunsen because of the burner he developed and which carries his name.

Today the insitute has long moved to a modern building in a different surburb but they are still doing groundbreaking research. The institute – together with the Max-Planck-Institute Heidelberg – is devoted to fundamental questions concerning the dynamics of quantum systems at the borderline between few-body and many-body physics.

If you don’t know what they are doing, join the club. Alternatively, you can research it.

Today seems quite a scientific day, what with the Ragtag prompt being elliptical. Since the plaque about the door of the Institute is an oval – mathematically an ellipse – I use the opportunity for a double dip.

FOWC with Fandango: Research and Ragtag Daily Prompt: Elliptical

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