John Bell's publication of his groundbreaking theorem in the obscure journal Physics is a fascinating tale of scientific publishing and the evolution of physics. Bell's theorem, a cornerstone of quantum mechanics, was published in a short-lived journal that existed from 1964 to 1968. This journal, Physics Physique Физика, was founded by two physicists at Bell Laboratories, Bernd Matthias and Philip Anderson, who sought to address the shortcomings of conventional physics journals. They envisioned an "experimental journal" that would select papers based on broad interest rather than the traditional peer review process, and even paid authors 10 cents a word for their contributions. This unique approach attracted notable physicists like Murray Gell-Mann, Leonard Susskind, and Leo Kadanoff, and it was through this journal that John Clauser discovered Bell's paper, leading to the first Bell test and a deeper understanding of quantum mechanics. However, the journal's success was short-lived due to Maxwell's aggressive pursuit of profit, and it was discontinued in 1968. Despite its brief existence, Physics Physique Физика played a pivotal role in the development of quantum technologies and continues to be an important part of the history of scientific publishing.
