The Simons Center for Geometry and Physics at Stony Brook University launched an exhibition titled “100 Years of Quantum Mechanics” on October 9. The event began with a reception and a lecture by Giuseppe Mussardo, a theoretical physics professor from the Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati in Trieste, Italy.
Organized by the Simons Center Art and Outreach Program and curated by Lorraine Walsh, the center’s art director, the exhibition marks a century since quantum theory was first introduced. The display highlights foundational moments in quantum science, including Max Planck’s blackbody radiation formula and contributions from Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg, and Erwin Schrödinger. The show will run through January 16 to coincide with UNESCO’s designation of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.
Walsh described the exhibition as one that “explores the foundations of quantum theory and its evolution, as well as continued research.” She added: “It offers a snapshot on how quantum mechanics underlies much of modern physics that has led to a revolutionary understanding of matter, and a profound impact on technology and innovation.”
After the reception in the Simons Center lobby, attendees moved to the Della Pietra Family Auditorium for Mussardo’s lecture titled “God Plays Dice with the World: The Story of Quantum Mechanics.” This title references both his book and Einstein’s remarks about chance in quantum physics.
“Today we are talking about one of the most gripping stories ever told,” Mussardo said. “It is a story of great ideas, fierce competition, and profound discoveries. The story of quantum mechanics is the great game of the 20th century.”
Mussardo discussed Max Planck’s work from 1900 on blackbody radiation that led to Planck’s constant. He noted: “The magic of this formula is incredible. Never in the history of science has such a simple interpolation had such an immense consequence in physics and philosophy.”
He went on to describe Einstein’s introduction of light quanta (photons) in 1905. Mussardo referred to Einstein as “a magician” who “invented out of the blue a new world,” distinguishing him from other scientists he called “ordinary geniuses.” Quoting Freeman Dyson’s analogy, Mussardo said: “Einstein was both a bird and a frog. He could see incredibly far, but he also worked with his hands in the mud — solving problems of heat, motion, and matter.”
The lecture continued with accounts of Niels Bohr’s atomic model, Arnold Sommerfeld’s refinements, Werner Heisenberg’s development of matrix mechanics during his stay on Helgoland island in 1925—“Heisenberg said, ‘At first I was deeply alarmed. I had the feeling that through the surface of atomic phenomena I was looking into a strangely beautiful interior.’ That moment marked the birth of modern quantum theory,” Mussardo said.
He also discussed Erwin Schrödinger’s wave equation which introduced another mathematical approach to quantum mechanics. According to Mussardo: “Heisenberg found Schrödinger’s theory ‘repulsive and lacking civilization,’ while Schrödinger thought Heisenberg’s algebra was frighteningly abstract. And yet they were describing the same reality in two languages.”
This duality is illustrated by experiments like double-slit interference: “If you observe which slit the particle passes through, the interference pattern disappears,” Mussardo explained. “Reality changes with observation — that is the unsettling beauty of quantum mechanics.”
Mussardo concluded by addressing Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle from 1927: “This is what blurred our reality forever,” he said. “And this is why our life in quantum mechanics is so interesting.”
Audience members included faculty, students, scientists, artists, and visitors who participated in questions after applauding Mussardo’s talk.
“Quantum mechanics is not just a chapter in science,” Mussardo said at closing. “It is a symphony, a story of human curiosity, creativity, and courage that continues to unfold.”
