Special Issue: 50 Years of Computers and Physicists

OCT 01, 1996

Fifty years ago, a physics graduate student burning the midnight oil might labor for several years with a lab notebook, Marchant desk calculator and graph paper. Today the time it takes to receive the PhD might be even longer, but today’s tools were probably never dreamt of by that struggling student of the past.

This article is only available in PDF format

Physics Today is looking for a Senior Editor. Apply Now.

Related content

Features

Article

Navigating academia as a dual-career couple

Myriad solutions emerge in the stressful process of balancing professional ambition and personal happiness.

September 16, 2026 03:37 PM

Features

Article

The 80-year nuclear legacy in the Marshall Islands

An interview with a prominent member of the Marshallese diaspora delves into the ongoing impact of aboveground US nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific archipelago.

September 10, 2026 12:45 PM

Features

Article

Demystifying graviton detection

Detecting quantum particles of gravity was long considered hopeless. A new perspective, which takes advantage of quantum technologies, suggests that an experimental realization may be closer than previously thought.

August 31, 2026 11:05 AM

Features

Article

The decline in physics bachelor’s degrees: Contributors and consequences

As higher-education programs compete for a shrinking pool of students, departments must better communicate the value that a physics major brings.

August 06, 2026 03:21 PM

This Content Appeared In