Daniel Kleppner can trace the theory of quantum physics back to the late 19th century, but he’s reluctant to predict its future.
“If you’re predicting the future of science, you’re probably wrong,” the MIT physics professor said Wednesday night.
“Nature exceeds our expectations.”
Kleppner, an associate director of the Research Laboratory of Electronics at MIT, gave the second of five lectures in the inaugural McPherson Professorship series.
A crowd of 1,000 filled the Wharton Center’s Great Hall to hear the renowned scientist.
Kleppner said he hopes by the year 2100, the understanding of matter - a century-long journey thus far - will lead to several key discoveries.
He said studies now will eventually lead to a standard molecular model, including mass and make-up, the origin of mass, understanding of quantum gravity and the origin of the universe.
“I see a parallel between what is going on now and the 1920s,” Kleppner said.
The professorship was named after MSU President M. Peter McPherson and his wife Joanne, who chose to use a $2 million anonymous donation to help students better understand science.
“How do we integrate, into the undergraduate program, the sciences?” McPherson said, asking a rhetorical question. He has said he hopes the professorship series continues for years.
He even met with renowned Harvard Professor Stephen Jay Gould, who last month gave the first speech, to ask what could be done to improve the professorship lecture series.
Kleppner’s lecture traced the beginnings of quantum theory to scientist Max Planck’s proposal of black-body radiation in 1900 - a method of predicting the radiation echo of the Big Bang.
Several notable discoveries during the 1920s - such as atomic theory, solid state physics and nuclear physics - led to development of applications like the transistor and the laser.
“We could live without the supermarket checkout lane and the CD player,” Kleppner said. “But knock out the laser, and we lose modern communication. We go back to the 1920s.”
The lecture mainly focused on the impact of physics on everyday life and the future.
He said it’s “fun” to speculate about the future, but changes in theory and changes in findings ensure nothing is predictable.
“I don’t know what the implication of understanding the origin of the universe will be,” Kleppner said. “But somehow I think it will change society very deeply.”
Kleppner joined the MIT physics department in 1966, and now serves as principal investigator in the atomic, molecular and physics group in the Research Laboratory of Electronics. His research interests are in high-precision measurements, quantum optics and experimental atomic physics.
But despite Kleppner’s effort to make quantum physics understandable to non-science majors, some MSU students who attended the speech seemed genuinely confused.
“I was going to get extra credit if I came, but it sounded like something interesting,” no-preference freshman Andy Hartman said. “But I have no interest in it - it’s way over my head.”
Biochemistry and biotechnology senior Adam Boyce said he’s excited about the prominent scientists lecturing for the seminar series, but the subject matter was too much for him, too.
“I had physics before, but I hated it,” he said.
Vincent Estes can be reached at estesvin@msu.edu
