Philip Abelson

Philip Hauge Abelson (April 27, 1913 – August 1, 2004) was an American <a href="/facts/Physicist/cQcgvSIm">physicist</a>, <a href="/facts/Editor-in-chief/d76Qb3Tr">scientific editor</a> and <a href="/facts/Science_writer/33zXAY9z">science writer</a>. Trained as a <a href="/facts/Nuclear_physicist/fzQbt1aF">nuclear physicist</a>, he co-discovered the element <a href="/facts/Neptunium/pwp7Yvds">neptunium</a>, worked on <a href="/facts/Isotope_separation/07rvF6NA">isotope separation</a> in the <a href="/facts/Manhattan_Project/gtg8yRK2">Manhattan Project</a>, and wrote the first study of <a href="/facts/Nuclear_marine_propulsion/gVcaF3kF">nuclear marine propulsion</a> for submarines. He later worked on a broad range of scientific topics and related <a href="/facts/Public_policy/fYl7gXaC">public policy</a>, including <a href="/facts/Organic_geochemistry/0VT1ardj">organic geochemistry</a>, <a href="/facts/Paleobiology/zU2YRk3H">paleobiology</a> and <a href="/facts/Energy_policy/3MwDUbKI">energy policy</a>.
Abelson served as <a href="/facts/Editor-in-chief/d76Qb3Tr">editor-in-chief</a> of the journal <a href="/facts/Science_(journal)/uTyzjkwD">Science</a> from 1962–84, president of the <a href="/facts/Carnegie_Institution_of_Washington/zS5MqNUP">Carnegie Institution of Washington</a> from 1971–78, and president of the <a href="/facts/American_Geophysical_Union/c4fmbVpa">American Geophysical Union</a> from 1972-74. His frequent <a href="/facts/Editorial/hu6eLfP2">editorials</a> in Science, both during and after his term as editor, became known for their strident and thought-provoking views. A collection of 100 of his editorials was published as a book, entitled Enough of Pessimism. He may have been the original source of the phrase '<a href="/facts/Extraordinary_claims_require_extraordinary_evidence/1nnYptT8">extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence</a>'.

Philip Abelson open-in-new

Philip Abelson