Dr. Ralph A. Alpher

Bibliography

Books by Ralph Alpher 

The Life and Times of the Universe.  Walkerton, IN: Unitarian Universalist Advance, 1984.

With Robert Herman.  Genesis of the Big Bang.  New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.

Articles by Ralph Alpher

With Milan D. Fiske and Beverly Fearn Porter.  “Physics Manpower: Present and Future.”  Physics Today 33, issue 1 (1980): 44-53.

With Robert Herman.  “Big Bang Cosmology and the Cosmic Black-Body Radiation.” 
Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 119, no. 5 (1975): 325-348.

With Robert Herman.  “Big Bang Model.”  American Scientist 77, issue 1 (1989): 6-7.

With Robert Herman.  “On Nucleon-Antinucleon Symmetry in Cosmology.”  Science 128, no. 3329 (1958): 904.  

With Robert Herman.  “Reflections on Early Work on ‘Big Bang’ Cosmology.”  Physics Today  41, issue 8 (1988): 24-34.

With Robert Herman and George Gamow.  “Thermal Cosmic Radiation and the Formation of Protogalaxies.”  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 58, no. 6 (1967): 2179-2186.

Media Clips on Ralph Alpher

 Associated Press:

August 24, 2007: “Physicist Ralph Alpher Dies at 86; Research on ‘Big Bang’ Theory Was Unheralded for Years”
 

Astronomy Magazine:

October 2007: “How the Big Bang Forged the First Elements” – Includes discussion of Alpher and George Gamow’s early calculations
 

The Chronicle [Union College]:

November 21, 1991: Alpher’s lectures in Hungary and Poland 

May 14, 1992: Alpher to be honored at Union College Commencement
 

Daily Telegraph [London]:

September 22, 2004: “The Forgotten Father of the Big Bang”

August 30, 2007: “Ralph Alpher”
 

Discover Magazine:

July 1999: “The Last Big Bang Man Left Standing – Physicist Ralph Alpher Devised Big Bang Theory of Universe”
 

Dudley Observatory [www.dudleyobservatory.org]:

http://www.dudleyobservatory.org/About_Us/Press/_press_releases.htm - Press releases written by the Dudley Observatory about Alpher in the news (2006 and 2007)

http://www.dudleyobservatory.org/History/history_alpher.htm - Includes transcript of National Medal of Science presentation, July 27, 2007; a statement by Susan French, Vice-President, Dudley Observatory Board of Trustees; and a link to Lauren Gunderson’s play about Alpher’s career
 

GE Monogram:

May-June 1982: “Pioneer of the Big Bang”
 

The Independent [London]:

October 10, 1999: “Serendipity: Quiet Voice of the Big Bang” [accessed via Lexis Nexis Academic database]

Los Angeles Times:

August 16, 2007: “Ralph Alpher, 86: Pioneering Physicist in Cosmic Research Overlooked for a Nobel Prize”

New York Times:

August 18, 2007: “Ralph Alpher, 86, Expert in Work on the Big Bang, Dies”

Parade Magazine:

September 8, 1985: “A Ride on a Comet”
 

Physics Today:

October 1975: “Alpher and Herman Honored for Radiation Research” [accessed via Academic Search Premier database]

July 1980: “APS News: Council Elects Alpher to Executive Committee” [accessed via Academic Search Premier database]
 

Physicsworld.com:

August 23, 2007: “Ralph Alpher, 1921-2007”
 

www.ralphalpher.com

Includes photographs of Alpher and information on donating in his memory, as well as a bibliography of his lectures and presentations
 

Records of the Academy [American Academy of Arts and Sciences]:

May 1986: “Members Elected May 14, 1986” [accessed via JSTOR database]
 

St. Petersburg (FL) Times:

August 19, 2007: “His Big Bang Theory Resulted in Whimper” [accessed via Lexis Nexis Academic database]
 

Schenectady (NY) The Daily Gazette:

May 3, 1992: “Latest Big Bang Data Boosts Union Professor’s Theories”

June 15, 2007: “Ex-Union College Professor Wins Science Medal”

August 14, 2007: “Big Bang Theorist, a Longtime Union College Professor, Dies”
 

Science [New Series]: 

December 9, 1955: Alpher’s appointment to General Electric Research Laboratory, Schenectady, NY [accessed via JSTOR database]

December 4, 1981: Alpher elected to physics committee of the American Association for the Advancement of Science [accessed via JSTOR database]
 

The Scientist:

May 3, 1993: Alpher and Robert Herman quoted in Physics Today article (1988)
 

Albany (NY) Times Union:

August 11, 1986: Alpher named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science  

November 22, 1986: “Union Professor Helped Advance Big-Bang Theory” 

May 1, 1988: “Disturbances Reign at Observatory” [Alpher quoted in article about Dudley Observatory] 

August 29, 1989: “Radiation Studied for Clues to Big Bang” 

November 14, 1989: “Union Physicist to See His Theories Launched Skyward” 

January 22, 1991: “Big Bang Theory Alive and Well” 

May 19, 1991: “Station’s Awkward Management System Caused Rift, Some Execs Say” 

June 14, 2007: “Injustice Ameliorated” 

August 14, 2007: “Alpher, Ralph A.” [Obituary] 

August 14, 2007: “‘Big Bang’ Researcher Dies” [Article] 

August 17, 2007: “Genius Propelled Big Bang’s Forgotten Father”
 

Union College Press Release: 

February 9, 1993: “Ralph Alpher, Union Professor, to Receive Award for Contribution to ‘Big Bang’ Theory” 

August 13, 2007: “Big Bang Pioneer Ralph Alpher Dies Following a Long Illness”
 

US States News:

July 30, 2007: “New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation Congratulates National Science Foundation Award Winners” [accessed via Lexis Nexis Academic database]
 

Washington Post: 

August 14, 2007: “Ralph A. Alpher; Physicist Published Theory of Big Bang”
 

Audio-Visual Materials on Ralph Alpher
[See also “Archival Materials”] 

“Beyond the Big Bang,” part of the “The Universe” series, History Channel, 120 minutes. 

“Information for Researchers of Genesis of the Big Bang and Big Bang Cosmology,” http://www.ralphalpher.com/wst_page5.html - Includes the following: 

• 1966 audio interview, “The Universe Revisited”

• 1973 audio lecture, Big Bang Past, Present, Future

• 1988 lecture (sound and picture) on the Big Bang, at Dr. John Sowa’s chemistry class, Union College

• 1994 colloquium (sound and picture) on the Big Bang

• 1999 radio interview (audio)

• 2000 interview (sound and picture) on Alpher’s early career at the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution, and work with Drs. George Gamow and Robert Herman

• 2005 interview (sound and picture), where Alpher discusses current understanding of the Big Bang, black holes and dark matter, and other issues

Archival Materials

At Dudley Observatory, Schenectady, NY 

Papers, Ralph Alpher.  2 cubic feet.  Collection documents the operation and activities of Dudley Observatory (bulk: 1980s and 1990s).  Also includes news clippings files covering the activities of Dudley Observatory and scientific research developments from 1950s to 1990s. Some photographs included. 

At Schaffer Library, Union College, Schenectady, NY 

Papers, Ralph Alpher.  40 linear feet.  Collection includes research notes, letter books, and other scientific papers related to Alpher’s work.

At Niels Bohr Library, American Institute of Physics, College Park, MD 

Audio-Visual Materials Collection: 

• George Gamow Symposium.  4 videocassettes.  Alpher was a speaker at this program—held in honor of Gamow’s career—on April 12, 1996.

Miscellaneous Physics Collection:

• “Correspondence with Ralph Alpher and Robert Herman Regarding the History of the Big Bang Cosmology and the Discovery of the Cosmic Microwave Background, 1991-1995.”  1 folder.  Collection consists of letters between Alpher, Herman, and Stephen G. Brush (professor of the history of science, University of Maryland) relating to Brush’s articles on the Big Bang cosmology and cosmic microwave background that were published in Scientific American and Perspectives on Science.

• “Remembrance of Things Past: Some Recollections of the Development of the Big Bang Model,” by Ralph Alpher and Robert Herman.  1 folder.

Miscellaneous Tape Collection: 

• Joint Symposium of the Division of Astrophysics and the Forum for the History of Physics.  6 sound cassettes.  Program was held in two sessions: April 21 and 22, 1987.  Alpher spoke at the second session entitled “Stellar Composition, Birth of the Universe, Origin of the Elements.” 

Oral History Collection: 

• Interview with Ralph Alpher and a joint interview with Robert Herman. 4 cassettes and transcript.  August 11 and 12, 1983.
   

• Interview with Robert Henry Dicke.  3 cassettes and transcript.  June 18, 1985.  Dicke comments on Alpher, George Gamow, and Robert Herman.
   

• Interview with P. J. E. Peebles.  3 cassettes and transcript.  September 27, 1984.  Peebles refers to work done on helium production by Alpher and Robert Herman.
   

• Interview with David Todd Wilkinson.  3 cassettes and transcript.  September 27, 1984.  Wilkinson refers to Alpher, Robert Herman, James Follin, George Gamow, and Joseph Weber.

At Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 

Papers, George and Barbara P. Gamow.  12.8 linear feet.  Bulk of records: 1950-1975.  Alpher is a correspondent.