Absurd Quote by Marcus du Sautoy
““To understand this new frontier, I will have to try to master one of the most difficult and counterintuitive theories ever recorded in the annals of science: quantum physics. Listen to those who have spent their lives immersed in this world and you will have a sense of the challenge we face. After making his groundbreaking discoveries in quantum physics, Werner Heisenberg recalled, "I repeated to myself again and again the question: Can nature possibly be so absurd as it seemed to us in these atomic experiments?" Einstein declared after one discovery, "If it is correct it signifies the end of science." Schrödinger was so shocked by the implications of what he'd cooked up that he admitted, "I do not like it and I am sorry I had anything to do with it." Nevertheless, quantum physics is now one of the most powerful and well-tested pieces of science on the books. Nothing has come close to pushing it off its pedestal as one of the great scientific achievements of the last century. So there is nothing to do but to dive headfirst into this uncertain world. Feynman has some good advice for me as I embark on my quest: "I am going to tell you what nature behaves like. If you will simply admit that maybe she does behave like this, you will find her a delightful, entrancing thing. Do not keep saying to yourself, if you can possibly avoid it, 'But how can it be like that?' because you will get 'down the drain,' into a blind alley from which nobody has yet escaped. Nobody knows how it can be like that.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: “The Quantum World” with Marcus du Sautoy, 2022
Quantum physics is counterintuitive and challenging; embracing its oddities requires humility and curiosity, not denial of its strangeness.
In simple terms: Accept quantum strangeness; stay curious.
Embrace uncertainty in science.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- research
- education
- public outreach
- policy making
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What steps can you take to make complex science accessible?
- How does humility shape scientific progress?
Complexity can overwhelm non‑experts, causing disengagement.