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This is not a joke. It is something I have wondered about for a long time. Nearly every picture of Werner Heisenberg shows him smiling.

Heisenberg is happy Heisenberg is still happy Even in old age, Heisenberg is still smiling

This is unusual. The difference between Heisenberg and other physicists is striking. Try an image search for Dirac or Schrödinger and you will see a lot of scowling, sour faces. It is possible that Niels Bohr smiled once but if so there does not seem to be any photographic evidence.

Was Heisenberg noted for being a particularly cheerful guy?

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No, he was both happy and sad until the photographer observed him - then he collapsed into this state! – Martin Beckett May 7 '12 at 17:01
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Well, I think Dirac had a not so funny life. And Feynman is also smiling in pictures. – Nick Kidman May 7 '12 at 17:04
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I am voting to close this with a heavy heart. – Ron Maimon May 7 '12 at 17:10
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Coming soon to a meta near you "Can we have physicists.stackexchange?" – dmckee♦ May 7 '12 at 17:21
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I notice that he managed to straighten his head by middle age. – Mitchell Porter May 7 '12 at 23:49
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closed as too localized by Ron Maimon, dmckee♦ May 7 '12 at 17:20

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