Memorial Volume for Y. Nambu

"I have only the fondest of memories of Nambu. He was a man of inordinate kindness, and there were many times that I felt I was a beneficiary of his consideration and generosity. Of course, the impact of his science was enormous." H David Politzer Caltech Nobel Laureate in Physics, 2004 "Through these contributions, the reader can gain an idea of the importance and variety of Nambu's work, as well as learn about his personality. He is described by many of those who knew him as kind, warm and humble. Besides being very clever and "many years ahead", he was also a good mentor." Cern Courier We have lost one of the giants of the twentieth century physics when Yoichiro Nambu passed away in July, 2015, at the age of 94. Today's Standard Model, though still incomplete in many respects, is the culmination of the most successful theory of the Universe to date, and it is built upon foundations provided by discoveries made by Nambu in the 1960s: the mechanism of spontaneously broken symmetry in Nature (with G Jona-Lasinio) and the hidden new Su(3) symmetry of quarks and gluons (with M-Y Han). In this volume honoring Nambu's memory, World Scientific Publishing presents a unique collection of papers written by his former colleagues, collaborating researchers and former students and associates, not only citing Nambu's great contributions in physics but also many personal and private reminiscences, some never told before. This volume also contains the very last scientific writing by Professor Nambu himself, discussing the development of particle physics. This book is a volume for all who benefited not only from Nambu's contributions toward understanding the Universe but also his warm and kind persona. It is a great addition to the history of contemporary physics.

Professor Yoichiro Nambu was widely recognized in the physics community as one of the most brilliant minds of the 20th century and often ahead of his time in his revolutionary theories. He had made important contributions in various areas of physics, including nuclear physics, quantum field theory, condensed matter physics, particles physics, and pioneered the early development of string theory. His work on the spontaneous broken symmetry earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2008. The unfortunate passing of Prof. Nambu in 2015 has motivated the editors of this book to put together this memorial volume dedicated to him. Many prominent physicists have contributed to this volume to share their personal interactions with him and their respects for this great physicist. This volume also contains one of the last articles written by Nambu himself on his early years in the field of particle physics.