Schrödinger’s Cat: Wanted Dead and Alive
Erwin Schrödinger was presumably more of a dog person.
The Nobel-winning Austrian physicist, whose pioneering research helped lay the foundations of quantum theory, chose an innocent cat as the subject of a famous thought experiment that is now synonymous with his name.
Though Schrödinger’s intent was to highlight an apparent problem in the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics, the thought experiment has become synonymous with the counter-intuitive realities of how nature works at the quantum level.
To commemorate Schrödinger’s birthday (Aug. 12, 1887) and the bravery of his imaginary cat, we present this exclusive excerpt from The Quantum Tamers: Revealing Our Weird & Wired Future:
No cats or weird men in cat suits were harmed in the making of this video.
Learn more and purchase The Quantum Tamers on DVD.
More Bites of PI:
- What Great Scientists Did When They Weren’t Doing Great Science
- 10 Physics Facts About Summer
- 10 Great Qutoes from Richard Feynman
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About PI
Perimeter Institute is the world’s largest research hub devoted to theoretical physics. The independent Institute was founded in 1999 to foster breakthroughs in the fundamental understanding of our universe, from the smallest particles to the entire cosmos. Research at Perimeter is motivated by the understanding that fundamental science advances human knowledge and catalyzes innovation, and that today’s theoretical physics is tomorrow’s technology. Located in the Region of Waterloo, the not-for-profit Institute is a unique public-private endeavour, including the Governments of Ontario and Canada, that enables cutting-edge research, trains the next generation of scientific pioneers, and shares the power of physics through award-winning educational outreach and public engagement.
