Is there a Heisenberg picture of the history of quantum mechanics?

by Prof. Arne Schirrmacher (Humboldt Universität Berlin)

Friday 14 Nov 2025, 15:10 → 16:10 Europe/Berlin

A.1.01 - Alps Süd (MPP)

In recent years, historians of physics have revisited the history of quantum physics, and of quantum mechanics in particular. This began with an extensive international project at the Berlin MPI for the History of Science between 2006 and 2012, which sparked ongoing research. However, it is only recently, with the quantum year, that most physicists and the wider public have started to engage with these historical advances, which at times appeared provocative. In my talk, I will attempt to present this more differentiated picture of the creation of quantum mechanics, focusing on the role of Werner Heisenberg.