This German-born physicist and mathematician helped to figure out quantum physics. He won a Nobel prize for his work. He was a very good teacher, and his PhD student and six of his assistants went on to win Nobel prizes of their own!
What is quantum physics? It’s a mathematical description of the structure and behavior of atomic and subatomic particles and radiation.
Even though some of the things we have figured out about the very-very-very-very-very-very small doesn’t make sense to us, quantum theory has been shown to be incredibly accurate in a huge number of different sorts of experiments.
Here’s an example of something that doesn’t seem to make sense: an electron seems to behave like a teeny-tiny particle of matter AND like a wave of radiation.
At the same time!
And electrons behave differently when we watch them. Even though they are just teensy little particles with no eyes or brains, they seem to “know” when we are watching!
Here is a video that shows more about the experiment that shows us that electrons act like particles and waves.
There are lots of other strange-seeming facts about the world of the incredibly small. Watch this video for some mind-blowing quantum theory ideas!
Physicist Niels Bohr said, “Anyone who is not shocked by quantum theory has not understood it.”
Also on this date:
Anniversary of the dedication of a monument to the boll weevil! 
Anniversary of the first recorded sighting of the Aurora Borealis in America
Indiana’s statehood day
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December holidays
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Historical anniversaries in December
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January birthdays
