Hendrik Lorentz

Biography

Hendrik Antoon Lorentz was born in Arnhem, Netherlands. He studied at Leiden University, where he later became a professor. Founder of electron theory, he introduced the concept of discrete charges and their interaction with the electromagnetic field. In 1902, he shared the Nobel Prize in Physics with Pieter Zeeman for their research on the influence of magnetism on radiation (the Zeeman effect). He chaired the Solvay Congresses, and was friends and collaborated with Einstein. Foreign member of the Royal Society of London and many academies.

Key discoveries

Lorentz transformations: mathematical formulas describing the change of coordinates and time when switching between inertial reference frames. They became a key element of Einstein's special theory of relativity, explaining the constancy of the speed of light.

Explanation of the Zeeman effect: using electron theory, he showed how a magnetic field splits the spectral lines of atoms, confirming the existence of electrons and their role in radiation.

Electron theory of matter: he hypothesized that all electromagnetic phenomena are associated with the motion of charged particles (electrons), laying the foundations of classical electrodynamics.

Solar Eruption's Magnetic Field 'Heard' for the First Time

By the frequency of radio waves from a cloud of solar gas, scientists directly measured its magnetic field. It turns out that the invisible force is hidden in tangled clumps, not evenly smeared across the cloud.

arXiv:2509.16453 · 2025-09-19

Magnetic Ripples: How Relativity Plays with Spins

A magnetic material has been discovered where electron spins arrange into ripples due to relativistic effects. This brings spintronics — spin-based electronics — closer to reality.

arXiv:2511.01690 · 2025-11-03

When the Speed of Light Stops Being the Limit

An excess of particles with energies at which they should have disappeared was detected in gamma-ray burst GRB 221009A. Probably, at such energies, the speed of light is slightly higher, which suppresses their absorption. This violation of Lorentz symmetry may open the way to a quantum theory of gra

arXiv:2511.15542 · 2025-11-19

Why Superluminal Signals Tangle Time

To keep the usual order of events with superluminal signals, the world must possess infinite precision—and quantum randomness might turn out to be an illusion.

arXiv:2601.15263 · 2026-01-21

Cosmic Deck: How Shuffling Numbers Creates the Universe

Physicists replaced particles with numerical tables and ran a simulation. Following quantum rules, the tables arranged themselves into an expanding universe with three spatial dimensions and time — with no external guidance whatsoever. This result is like a winning jackpot: it explains how the Big B

arXiv:2604.19836 · 2026-04-21

How Neutrinos Test the Constancy of the Laws of Physics

New neutrino detectors promise to be tens of times more sensitive than existing instruments. They will catch the slightest glitch in the constancy of the speed of light—a violation that would rewrite our understanding of space and time.

arXiv:2604.19880 · 2026-04-21

Cosmic Crystal: How Vacuum Defects Twist Light

The cosmic microwave background not only brings a map of the early universe but also a subtle twist in polarization—just a few thousandths of a radian. For a long time, it was attributed to ultralight axions, but they clash with experiments. A new explanation is more elegant: the rotation arises whe

arXiv:2605.11065v1 · 2026-05-11