Alexander Blum, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science

Leuchs-Russell Auditorium, A.1.500, Staudtstr. 2

Location details

Abstract:
In the late 19th century, Maxwell's electrodynamics and field theory looked like the physics of the future, and Newtonian mechanics looked ready to cede its place as the conceptual foundation of physics. Yet, in the 1920s, the quantum revolution resulted in the establishment of a quantum mechanics, which remains the foundation of quantum theory to this day, from undergraduate teaching to the celebrations of the Quantum Year 2025. In my talk, I will give an overview of the history of quantum mechanics, focusing on the central role that light and radiation played in it. I will attempt to explain why, in spite of this central role, the transformation of physics in the years 1925-1927 centered on quantum mechanics, with quantum optics and quantum electrodynamics confined to the role of specialized applications or future projects.