Brian Greene
A theoretical physicist who became the public's guide to the cosmos, translating the complexities of string theory and extra dimensions into compelling narratives.
Born 1963 (age 63)·American theoretical physicist·Birthday: February 9·Baby Boomers
Biography
Brian Greene didn't just want to understand the universe's deepest secrets; he wanted everyone else to understand them, too. A prodigy in mathematics, he turned his focus to theoretical physics, landing at Columbia University where he became a leading researcher in string theory. His work, including the co-discovery of mirror symmetry, helped shape the field's mathematical landscape. But Greene's true impact exploded beyond academia with the 1999 publication of 'The Elegant Universe,' a bestselling book that made concepts like superstrings and hidden dimensions accessible to millions. This was followed by a Peabody Award-winning PBS television series of the same name. Unwilling to stop there, he co-founded the World Science Festival in New York, creating a vibrant annual event that bridges the gap between scientists and the public, cementing his role as one of science's most effective and eloquent ambassadors.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Brian was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Brian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Authored the international bestseller 'The Elegant Universe,' which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
- Co-founded the World Science Festival, a major global public science event.
- Co-discovered mirror symmetry, a pivotal duality in string theory relating different Calabi-Yau shapes.
- Hosted and narrated the Emmy-nominated PBS Nova adaptation of 'The Elegant Universe.'
Did You Know?
He entered Columbia University at age 15 as a physics undergraduate.
He performed a scene from Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' on stage with actor Alan Alda.
Greene is a trained violinist and has spoken about the connection between music and mathematics.
His book 'The Hidden Reality' explores the concept of parallel universes.
“We are, all of us, exploring a universe that is stranger than we can suppose.”
