Erwin Schrödinger, portrait by Robertson (pre-1961).
Credit: Public domain. Courtesy Smithsonian Institution Libraries (via Flickr Commons / Wikimedia Commons).
Erwin Rudolf Josef Alexander Schrödinger was an Austrian physicist whose work transformed our understanding of the microscopic world. Born in Vienna in 1887, he showed brilliance in both science and the humanities, excelling in languages, philosophy, and physics
Wave Mechanics
In 1926, Schrödinger published his wave equation, a mathematical description of how quantum systems evolve over time. This was the foundation of wave mechanics, one of the cornerstones of modern quantum theory. His work earned him the 1933 Nobel Prize in Physics, shared with Paul Dirac.
The Cat Paradox
Yet, Schrödinger is perhaps most famous among the public for a thought experiment: Schrödinger’s Cat (1935). This playful paradox imagined a cat trapped in a box whose fate — alive or dead — depended on a random quantum event, highlighting the strange and counterintuitive nature of quantum physics.
What is Life?
Schrödinger was a true polymath, writing on philosophy, color theory, and biology. His 1944 book, What is Life?, explored the physical aspects of living cells and inspired a generation of molecular biologists — including James Watson and Francis Crick — to unlock the structure of DNA.
Link to the book:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Is_Life%3F
Why He Still Matters
From quantum chemistry to semiconductors and quantum computing, Schrödinger’s ideas continue to shape science and technology. His life reflected not only a search for answers in physics but also a restless curiosity about the meaning of life itself. His wave mechanics underpin technologies such as MRI scanners and emerging quantum computers.
Here are some even more surprising glimpses into the life of Schrödinger:
He loved mountain hiking, finding inspiration for his work in nature’s solitude.
Fluent in several languages, he enjoyed reading poetry in German, English, Italian, and Spanish.
Schrödinger’s personal life was unconventional, marked by open relationships and a distrust of social norms.
His image appeared on the Austrian 1000-Schilling banknote in the 1980s
His birthday fell yesterday on August 12. Hence this homage to him now.
Grateful thanks to ChatGPT for its kind help and support in creating this blogpost and Smithsonian Institution Libraries, Flickr Commons and Wikimedia Commons.
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