This interview is an episode from The Well, our new publication about ideas that inspire a life well-lived, created with the John Templeton Foundation.
Quantum mechanics allows scientists to make accurate calculations, and the theory serves as the basis of many modern technologies, from lasers to solar panels.
However, scientists cannot agree on what the underlying equations actually mean. This is important because quantum mechanics has profound philosophical implications about the nature of reality.
Jim Al-Khalili agrees with Einstein that a common approach to quantum physics known as the Copenhagen interpretation (which is, essentially, « Shut up and calculate ») is not enough to gain understanding of the real world.
