The Last Big Bang Man Left Standing - physicist Ralph Alpher devised Big Bang Theory of universe

In his daily life, Alpher is trying to leave the past behind. "These things are of no consequence anymore." In recent years, he threw himself into a stream of local activities: tutoring kids, mentoring scouts, chairing the board of the local public TV station. Today he's busy trying to finish a book about cosmology that he began seven years ago.

Not long ago Alpher was invited to give a lecture in Odessa, Ukraine--the hometown of both his father and his mentor, Gamow. He declined. Louise has been ill. "It's been a rocky road," he says of their 57 years together as husband and wife. "We had our ups and downs. It hasn't been smooth. Physicists as a class are a peculiar bunch. Our primary interest is in science and in the work, and sometimes affairs at home take second place. And I'm sure that hurt Louise along the way very much. But we survived."

As a boy Alpher often sneaked off to peek through a telescope at the U.S. Naval Observatory on public viewing nights. Today he is the administrator of the Dudley Observatory and its library, housed in a local senior center. Twice a week he heads over, fishes for the keys, unlocks the door, hits the light. Inside are marble busts, rare books, and an antique telescope. "Here's what I do," he says. He hunches over a small Radio Shack answering machine. "I hit the button and I follow the directions," he jokes. There is a beep, and he begins to read from a freshly printed script: "If we're lucky enough to have clear skies this weekend, you won't even need a telescope to enjoy the best show around. On Friday night the crescent moon, Saturn, and Venus will be cheek by jowl in the western sky at dusk. ..."

On he goes for several minutes. Then he hits the button. "Now I check it," he say," and lifts the receiver on a second phone line. He dials the number of the observatory's Skywatch phone line, and waits. The first phone rings. The machine clicks. A booming voice flows from the receiver in his hand. Alpher's voice. The last of the Big Bang men nods: Not bad, huh?

JOSEPH D'AGNESE ("The Last Big Bang Man Left Standing," page 60) remembers learning about how the universe formed, but he doesn't recall learning the name of physicist Ralph Alpher. In fact, few people recognize Alpher as the man who conceived of the Big Bang--and wrote the equation that proved it possible. "At first glance, he's a humble man who doesn't like to call attention to himself," says D'Agnese. "But his story is a compelling one, and one that I think resonates with any professional person. I think he was glad that someone was looking into it again." Many people have forgotten Alpher's contribution, says D'Agnese, but Alpher has not. "He's a reporter's dream. He has total recall of facts, scenes, events, everything."

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