The Martians (scientists)
"The Martians" (Hungarian: "A marslakók") is a term used to refer to a group of prominent scientists (mostly, but not exclusively, physicists and mathematicians) of Hungarian Jewish descent who emigrated from Europe to the United States in the early half of the 20th century.[1]
Leo Szilard, who jokingly suggested that Hungary was a front for aliens from Mars, used this term. In an answer to the question of why there is no evidence of intelligent life beyond Earth (called the Fermi paradox) despite the high probability of it existing, Szilárd responded: "They are already here among us – they just call themselves Hungarians." This account is featured in György Marx's book The Voice of the Martians.[2]
Men included in the description
Individuals named as members of The Martians group include:
Origin of the name
The original story from György Marx's book The Voice of the Martians:
The universe is vast, containing myriads of stars ... likely to have planets circling around them. ... The
Fermi Paradox: "They are among us," he said, "but they call themselves Hungarians."[2]
When the question was put to Edward Teller – who was particularly proud of his monogram, E.T. (abbreviation of extraterrestrial)[2] – he looked worried, and said: "Von Kármán must have been talking."[6]
According to
References
- ^ M. Whitman (2012) The Martian's Daughter: A Memoir, University of Michigan Press.
- ^ a b c d A marslakók legendája – György Marx
- ^ "Quiénes eran los 'marcianos' húngaros que ayudaron a Estados Unidos a convertirse en una potencia científica". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-12-10.
- S2CID 37671802.
- ^ a b "The Martians". Codanec. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
- ISBN 0-679-41308-1.
- ^ International Astronomical Union. "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature | Von Kármán". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
Further reading
- ISBN 963-05-7723-2.
- Hargittai, István (2006). The Martians of Science: Five Physicists Who Changed the Twentieth Century. New York: ISBN 978-0-19-517845-6.
- ISBN 978-0-74-326115-9.