Jack of All

Abstract

This article is basically a scientific autobiography from a long and very rewarding career, covering childhood, education, theoretical work, observations, instrumentation, and some social activities. It is not meant to be a review of anything except an incomplete picture of my life, and the relatively few references are to some of my work, work related to mine, and work that had a very large influence on my life and research, so apologies in advance to those I left out in subjects I discuss. I have not in any way attempted to discuss scientific results; those you can go read. I have used more words on old things than new, with the idea that most readers of this article are much more familiar with the field in the last couple of decades than before. My career spans almost six, and there may be things to learn from antiquity.