This is Scientific Americans 60 Second Science. I'm Steve Mursky. Got a minute?

There's a lot of discussion about the debates they had and who was right.

Wilhelm Boer, he's the grandson of the great physicist

Niels-Bor, who had strong scientific disagreements

with Albert Einstein.

For example, Einstein was uncomfortable with the probabilistic nature of aspects of quantum mechanics,

which Boer accepted.

But they did have a very warm relationship.

On June 3rd, 2015, Wilhelm Boer talked about his famous grandfather at length in a public lecture at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

I just found these two letters here that I thought would be interesting to just highlight.

So they received the Nobel Prize the same year in 1922, and that was because Einstein's

Nobel Prize was delayed because of the war.

Nilsbore was writing to Einstein how deeply honored he is to get the Nobel Prize at the same time. I'm sending my warmest

congratulations on the occasions of you receiving a Nobel price. You have

received so many recognitions and this may not be a great importance to you but it also brings us useful monetary award for myself

It brings the highest honor and happiness that under these circumstances I should receive this honor at the same time as you.

I know how little I have to serve as compared to your enormous contribution.

And there's a handwritten letter from Einstein here to Boer from the ship here and the way back from Japan.

It says, dear or beloved Boer, your affectionate letter reached me shortly before my departure from Japan I can say without exaggeration that it

pleased me as much as the Nobel Prize. I find your fear of possibly getting the

price before me especially endearing.

That is generally bore-like.

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