Table of Biography
Jim Peebles is a well-known Canadian-American astrophysicist, astronomer, and theoretical cosmologist. Jim Peebles is known as one of the fathers of modern cosmology and he won the Nobel Prize in Physics 2019 for theoretical discoveries in physical cosmology.
Early Life
Jim Peebles was born on the 25th of April 1935, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Currently, he is 88 years old and according to the astrological chart, he has a birth sign of Taurus. His birth name is Phillip James Edwin Peebles and he holds a dual nationality of American-Canadian.
He was born to his father Andrew Charles Peebles and his mother Ada Marion (Green). His father worked for the Winnipeg Grain Exchange while his mother was a homemaker. Very little is known about his childhood life and whether he has any siblings or not is still a mystery.
Caption: Jim Peebles’s old photo (Source: Princeton University)
Jim Peebles – Education
He earned his bachelor of science at the University of Manitoba. Later, he enrolled at Princeton University, where he received his Ph.D. in physics in 1962, completing a doctoral dissertation titled “Observational Tests and Theoretical Problems Relating to the Conjecture That the Strength of the Electromagnetic Interaction May Be Variable” under the supervision of Robert Dicke.
Professional Career
Initially, Jim Peebles worked on cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR)and its connection with the aspects of The Big Bang Theory.
He became an assistant professor at Princeton University in 1965 and became a full professor in 1972. Additionally, he became the Albert Einstein Professor of Science in 1984 and a professor emeritus in 2000. His research revealed that the temperature of the universe had a significant impact on the amount of helium produced.
Caption: Jim Peebles an astrophysicist (Source: Princeton Alumni Weekly | – Princeton University)
He was opposed to the theory that heavier chemical elements could have been created during the Big Bang. In 1970, Jim Peebles and graduate student Jer Yu investigated the angular power spectrum of the CMB and its relationship to the universe’s matter density. Later, in 1982, he was one of the first cosmologists to recognize the importance of cold dark matter in the formation of galaxies.
Books
Moreover, he has written several books about discoveries in physical cosmology. Some of them are “Physical Cosmology” (1971), “The Large-Scale Structure of the Universe” (1980), and “Principles of Physical Cosmology” (1993).
Similarly, he also wrote a textbook, “Quantum Mechanics” (1992), and edited (with Lyman Page and Bruce Partridge) a compilation of reminiscences by cosmologists, “Finding the Big Bang” (2009). Recently, he has recently published two books named “Cosmology’s Century. Princeton University Press” (2020) and “The Whole Truth. Princeton University Press” (2022).
Jim Peebles – Awards
In 2019, Peebles was awarded half of the Nobel Prize in Physics for his theoretical contributions to physical cosmology. He received the award alongside Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz for discovering an exoplanet orbiting a sun-like star.
Caption: James Peebles receiving his Nobel Prize from H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at Konserthuset Stockholm on 10 December 2019 (Source: Nobel Prize)
Some of his other awards are “Fellow of the American Physical Society” (1964), “Eddington Medal” (1981), “Heineman Prize” (1982), “Fellow of the Royal Society” (1982), “Henry Norris Russell Lectureship” (1993), “Bruce Medal (1995), “Oskar Klein Medal” (1997), “Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society”(1998), and many others.
Net Worth 2023
According to an online website, his net worth is estimated at around $5 million. This includes his earnings from research as well as his salary as a university professor. Furthermore, details of his annual or monthly earnings are unknown.
Relationship Status
In 1958, Jim Peebles is married to his wife Alison. The couple presently lives in Princeton, New Jersey. With the marriage, the couple has three children whose names are yet unknown.
Throughout his entire career, he has given his time in the research field and has a busy schedule. However, the astrophysicist is not a part of controversy or scandals.
Jim Peebles – Body Measurements
Looking at his appearance, he has a pair of green eyes with grey hair color. However, his exact body measurements such as his height, weight, and others are still under review.
Social Media
Meanwhile, Peebles is not active on social media sites such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.