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Physical Society Colloquium[an error occurred while processing this directive]
Schrödinger's Cat Paradox and Einstenian Gravity Sir Roger Penrose
Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics Two major changes in our physical world-view have been introduced in the twentieth century, namely general relativity and quantum mechanics. Although well tested experimentally, both encounter profound theoretical problems. General relativity has space-time singularities in solutions describing the big bang or black-holes. Quantum field theory calculations lead to infinities. It is generally agreed that a correct union of the two theories may remove these difficulties. Yet there is another profound enigma of quantum mechanics - the "Measurement Problem". I shall argue that this enigma may find its resolution in the nature of the above sought-for union - leading to change in the very structure of quantum mechanics and general relativity. I shall describe some theoretical developments along these lines according to which a "Schrödinger's cat" should spontaneously become one or the other of two superposed states in a time scale that can be directly calculated from purely gravitational considerations. I shall describe some experiments which can settle this issue and which may be performed in several years.
Sir Roger Penrose is the Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford. He acquired his B.Sc. from University College (London), and his Ph.D. from St. John's College (Cambridge). He is a recipient of many prizes and awards: The Wolf Prize (1988-shared with Stephen Hawking), the Dannie Heinemann Prize, the Royal Society Medal and the Albert Einstein Prize. His 1989 book The Emperor's New Mind became a best-seller and won the Rhone-Poulenc Science Book Prize. His latest books are: Shadows of the Mind (1994), The Nature of Space and Time (1996-with Stephen Hawking), and The Large, the Small and the Human Mind (1997). His research interests centre in geometry, having made contributions to the theory of non-periodic tiling, to relativity and to foundations of quantum mechanics. He originated the theory of twistors over 30 years ago to unite general relativity and quantum mechanics and constitutes his main research programme. He has also contributed to the theory of consciousness. He was knighted in 1994 for his services to Science.
Tuesday, October 20th 1998, 16:00 |