Quantum theory at 100: Let’s celebrate its power and provocation

You might say it all started with hay spots. In June 1925, a young physicist named Werner Heisenberg retreated to the barren island of Helgorand in the North Sea, seeking a rest from his allergies. So he scrawled the equations that illuminate European intellectual fires, forming the basis for ideas that ultimately shake our views on how reality works. The idea was quantum theory.

In recognition of the 100th Quantum Anniversary, the United Nations has designated 2025 as the year of International Quantum Science and Technology. There are celebrations, exhibitions and meetings all over the world.

If you know only one thing about quantum theory, it’s probably “strange.” Certainly, the idea that the quantum world is too strange to fully understand is infecting our culture. There are also products Like branded cosmetics Or, called “quantums,” they are implicit signals that they have power beyond our understanding.

It is true that quantum theory paints strange pictures of the subatomic world, but stopping it will overlook its true importance. This centenary should celebrate its theory of power and provocation, as does the trio of articles in this special issue.

Physicist Carlo Robery gives us his view on the origins of quantum mechanics and presents its bold claims. We see how these ideas revolutionized technology and how they do so. And we explore the deep questions that quantum theory forces us to ask what it means to be “real.” The fact that it draws such an unsettling picture of the subatomic world suggests that we lack something about the workings of the universe, but new interpretations and experiments guide us towards a fresh understanding.

Quantum theory has also been a huge success. Most other scientific ideas have not passed many experimental tests. Its origin may be due to the fever of hay, but it is an irresistible heritage.