For years now, physicists have been trying to get out a coherent theory that encompasses both visible scale objects (relativity) and teensy particles (quantum physics). Both those theories predict phenomena on their respective scale very well, but are incompatible when put together. Large-scale objects exist only in one place at a time, for instance.
There is a contender, String theory, but i’m told it’s unproveable for now, and there are as many people against as in favour of it.
Well, seems there’s a new claim to the title: Garret Lisi, 39, not affiliated to any university, published a paper saying he did it.
It would be quite funny if this was true (got it from Slashdot after all): Lisi is a surfer dude. A mile apart from frumpy Albert Einstein and dignified Planck: a hawaiian shirt in the physics hall of fame.
You can imagine a bunch of surfers sitting on the beach, around the campfire, beers in attendance. A toke is being passed round. It comes to this one guy, who inhales, coughs a bit, and then says: “guys, i just had this mad idea …”
I think Einstein would love it.
He said: “problems can’t be solved by focussing on the things that created it” (or something simular)