Reading RL’s black hole post on the science forum bothered me. I regret that my understanding of physics isn’t much higher than the high school level. Probably much less with the developments of the last four decades.

When looking at things like the large hadron collider, or fusion containment, I always wonder what sets some people apart from the rest when it comes to intelligence. Why does the gene pool produce so few?

It’s estimated that only 1% truly understand quantum mechanics and the math behind it. QM has been called “the black box of physics”. Scientists can make highly accurate predictions, but they may not understand why.

“There was a time when the newspapers said that only twelve men understood the theory of relativity. I do not believe there ever was such a time … On the other hand, I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics.”

- Richard Feynman