Chien-Shiung Wu
by Alexandra Batista
Chien-Shiung Wu
Place of Birth: Liu Ho, China
Date of Birth: May 31, 1912
Date of Death: February 16, 1997
Education
Graduated at University of Nanjing in 1934. Got PhD at University of Berkley in 1940,
Contributions to Physics
Found that parity is not conserved in nuclear beta decay. Gave important experimental confirmation of the conservation of the vector current in nuclear beta decay.
Summary
Wu demonstrated experimentally that parity cannot be conserved in nuclear beta decay. This means that the laws of nature are not always symmetrical with respect to right and left. Tsung Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang proposed the solution to the tau-theta puzzle and she gave them experimental evidence to support them. She became well known for her talent and skill of experimenting theories and proving them. Wu was the most distinguished physicist of her time.