Dr. George Smoot, a renowned physicist and Nobel laureate recognized for his pioneering research into the origins of the universe, has passed away at the age of 80. He died of a heart attack on September 18, 2023, in Paris, as confirmed by UC Berkeley in a statement released last week.
Throughout his illustrious career, Smoot worked primarily at UC Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he made significant contributions to cosmology. He shared the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics with Dr. John Mather from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for their discovery of background radiation, a key piece of evidence supporting the Big Bang theory. This theory posits that the universe began approximately 14 billion years ago in a rapid cosmic expansion.
Smoot earned his PhD in particle physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1970. After joining the Berkeley Lab, he led a research team that generated detailed maps of the early universe. These maps uncovered minute temperature fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background, remnants from billions of years ago. According to Mike Witherell, director of the Berkeley Lab, “Those early tiny fluctuations evolved into the galaxies we observe today.”
In recognition of his achievements, Smoot utilized $500,000 from his Nobel Prize to establish the Berkeley Center for Cosmological Physics at UC Berkeley. His post-retirement years, following his departure from the Berkeley Lab in 2014, were marked by extensive travel and a growing interest in climate change issues.
Beyond his academic work, Smoot ventured into popular culture, appearing as himself on the CBS sitcom “The Big Bang Theory” and winning a top prize on the Fox TV game show “Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?” in 2009. His influence extended to teaching at the Astroparticle and Cosmology Laboratory in Paris.
The APC Lab paid tribute to Smoot, stating, “We will remember him as a larger-than-life character, with a broad range of interests beyond the discoveries for which he is best known.”
Dr. Smoot is survived by his sister, Sharon Smoot Bowie, of New London, New Hampshire, two nieces, and his partner, Nóra Csiszár, of Paris. His contributions to science and education have left an indelible mark on cosmology and will be remembered by colleagues and students alike.
