How the Hippies Saved Physics - Democratic Underground

Celebration

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Jul-01-11 04:19 PM
Original message

How the Hippies Saved Physics

Edited on Fri Jul-01-11 04:20 PM by Celebration

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-06-hippie-days-countercultural-scientists-physics.html

Every Friday afternoon for several years in the 1970s, a group of underemployed quantum physicists met at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, in Northern California, to talk about a subject so peculiar it was rarely discussed in mainstream science: entanglement. Did subatomic particles influence each other from a distance? What were the implications?

Many of these scientists, who dubbed themselves the “Fundamental Fysiks Group,” were fascinated by the paranormal and thought quantum physics might reveal “the possibility of psycho-kinetic and telepathic effects,” as one put it. Some of the physicists cultivated flamboyant countercultural personas. In lieu of solid academic jobs, a few of them received funding from the leaders of the “human potential” movement that was a staple of 1970s self-help culture.

In short, the Fundamental Fysiks Group appeared to be just a bunch of eccentric, obscure physicists whiling away the Me Decade in the Berkeley Hills. But as MIT historian of science David Kaiser asserts in his new book, How the Hippies Saved Physics, published this month by W.W. Norton, the group’s members actually helped to steer physics in a new direction: They revived scientific interest in the puzzling foundations of quantum mechanics, provided new insights about entanglement, and laid the intellectual groundwork for the field of quantum information science, which today produces cutting-edge computing and encryption research.

“That’s a pretty good track record for a few years of zany, fun-loving, free-spirited and yet devoted research,” says Kaiser, head of MIT’s Program in Science, Technology, and Society, and a senior lecturer in the Department of Physics.

Most scientists now say we can't look to any broader ramifications from the mysteries of quantum physics. Yet, physics was "saved" by people who were doing just that. I might have to read the book!

Refresh | 0 Recommendations

Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top

Ricochet21

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Jul-01-11 04:53 PM
Response to Original message

1. The Hippies saved everything that was worth saving

and usually just get laughed at.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top

japple

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sat Jul-02-11 07:58 AM
Response to Reply #1

2. The hippies (and I count myself among their number) tried to

Edited on Sat Jul-02-11 08:00 AM by japple

save everything but were eventually driven underground and out of sight when the Reaganites gained control of the political and cultural message in this country. Now, the hippies' message of peace, love, and saving the planet may again be rising! Break out yer moth-eaten, tattered freak flag and fly it proudly!

Edit to add:

Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top

Celebration

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sat Jul-02-11 10:03 AM
Response to Reply #2

3. At heart

I am a hippie physicist. :)

Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top

FirstLight

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sat Jul-02-11 11:08 AM
Response to Reply #2

4. yeah baby!

I grew up in the berkeley hills, and Telegraph was my old stomping ground... granted, I came about 20 years after the original movement, but it was still a pretty great place to be in the 80's

Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top

Ricochet21

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sat Jul-02-11 12:23 PM
Response to Reply #2

5. righto Japple

Edited on Sat Jul-02-11 12:26 PM by Ricochet21

Go ahead on Mr. Businessman, walking down the street, you can't dress like me.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top

japple

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sat Jul-02-11 04:34 PM
Response to Reply #5

6. Beautiful photo, Rick. If it were legal, I'd be smokin' it for sure

and the hospital I work for could random-drug-test all they want. THAT is the only thing that keeps me from enjoying an occasional doobie! Jimi, I can enjoy any time, thanks to my MP3.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | Reply | Top

DU AdBot (1000+ posts)

Thu Jan 02nd 2025, 06:42 PM
Response to Original message

Advertisements [?]

Top

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.