As a break from the usual blog about science, I would like to write a short biography about a physics researcher by the name of F.D.C. Willard. Full name: Felis domesticus Chester Willard. Wait, what? I knew cats were smart but who knew that one had authored a paper entitled “2-, 3-, and 4-Atom Exchange Effects in bcc 3He”?
F.D.C. Willard was the pseudonym for a Siamese cat by the name of Chester who published a paper on low temperature physics; once as a co-author and another as the sole author. This decidedly bizarre story may seem like an academic urban legend but no, it actually happened and is one of the reasons I love scientists. (I do appreciate the bizarre, and cats as well, for that matter.) When I first read this I really wanted to believe that somewhere out there was a remarkably brilliant feline that did some profound research in physics but that is not exactly true. Darn it.
Jack H. Hetherington, an American physicist and mathematician at Michigan State University, wanted to publish his research results in low temperature physics in the scientific journal Physical Review Letters in 1975. He gave his research to a colleague to review who found that the paper was written in the first person plural when Hetherington was the sole author and the paper would most likely be rejected on these grounds. He would either have to bring in a co-author or replace the incorrect pronouns. In 1975, there was no easy way to replace all the “we’s” with “I’s” without completely rewriting the article so Hetherington chose another option, make up a co-author. Hence, F.D.C Willard was born.
He thought that if he just signed the paper with the name Chester that people may suss out that he was talking about a pet so he gave him a more human name. Felis domesticus is the Latin name for a house cat, Chester was his given name, and Willard was his sire. This seems perfectly logical to me.
At the 15th International Conference on Low Temperature Physics in 1978 in Grenoble, France, Hetherington gave signed copies of his paper to friends and colleagues that were signed by him and Chester. Chester using a paw print as his X.
This cat even went on to be the sole author of another paper on the topic in September 1980 in the popular French science magazine La Recherche, in French no less. Impressive to say the least. I have always imagined that if a cat were to speak a human language, it would probably be Russian. I think it only seems right. (I am pretty sure no self-respecting cat would ever want to speak a human language with the possible exception to telling a human how much they disapprove of them.)
The story goes that his true identity became common knowledge after someone came looking for Hetherington to discuss his theories. When Hetherington was not to be found, they asked to speak to Willard instead which resulted in much laughter from his colleagues and the proverbial cat was out of the bag. Willard, AKA Chester, appeared often in the footnotes where he was thanked for “useful contributions to the discussion” or oral communications, and even offered a position as a professor. He became the physics department’s mascot of sorts.
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ou would think that this would be a unique experience but there have been other pets that have co-authored scientific papers including an Afghan dog by the name of Galadriel Mirkwood owned by immunologist Polly Matzinger. There was also a H.A.M.S. ter Tisha on a fascinating paper called “Detection of Earth Rotation with a Diamagnetically Levitating Gyroscope” co-authored by the hamster of the lead author.
I have also come across a number of animals who had acquired their degrees both undergraduate and graduate from less than reputable academic establishments, with one example of a cat’s degree that helped in the prosecution against the institution that issued it. I am sure many of us have heard a story or two about how their “friend’s” dog received mail or was issued a credit card. What would a dog purchase? And how would they receive their packages when they want to take out the courier because they are scary? Something to think about.
–Janice Willson
