Wonderfest: The Trouble with Quantum Physics, and Why It Matters

Quantum physics is arguably the most successful scientific theory ever devised. (And recall: "In science, theory is as good as it gets!") Yet, there is a problem: What does this immensely fruitful theory say about deep reality? Why does "measurement" play a special role in the theory? Can we say anything about atoms and subatomic particles when we’re not actually measuring them? For years, the standard answer to questions like this was to "shut up and calculate" ' to ignore these issues, and simply use quantum physics to predict the outcomes of experiments. But our curiosity persists. What are the puzzles at the heart of quantum physics, and why do they matter?

Speaker: Dr. Adam Becker, author and astrophysicist