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The search for a theory of quantum gravity is the most fundamental problem in all of theoretical physics, but there are as yet no experimental results at all to guide this endeavor. What seems to be needed is a pragmatic way to test if…
It is well known in quantum mechanics that a large energy gap between a Hilbert subspace of specific interest and the remainder of the spectrum can suppress transitions from the quantum states inside the subspace to those outside due to…
Quantum mechanics is widely regarded as a complete theory, yet we argue it is a tractable projection of a deeper, computationally-inaccessible classical variational structure. By analyzing the coupled partial differential equations of the…
We derive a collisionless kinetic theory for an ensemble of molecules undergoing nonholonomic rolling dynamics. We demonstrate that the existence of nonholonomic constraints leads to problems in generalizing the standard methods of…
The intractability of any problem and the randomness of its solutions have an obvious intuitive connection. However, the challenge till now has been that there is no practical way to firmly establish if the solution to a problem is actually…
Without invalidating quantum mechanics as a principle underlying the dynamics of a fundamental theory, it is possible to ask for even more basic dynamical laws that may yield quantum mechanics as the machinery needed for its statistical…
The ability to make decisions based on data, with its inherent uncertainties and variability, is a complex and vital skill in the modern world. The need for such quantitative critical thinking occurs in many different contexts, and while it…
It is shown that the phenomenon of irreversibility in many-body and few-body systems can be explained and described within the framework of the concept of direct (not instantaneous) interaction of particles without using probabilistic…
In principle, by accepting the idea of a non-zero vacuum energy, the physical vacuum of present particle physics might represent a preferred reference frame. By treating this quantum vacuum as a relativistic medium, the non-zero…
Energy gap, the difference between the energy of the ground state of a given Hamiltonian and the energy of its first excited state, is a parameter of a critical importance in analysis of phase transitions and adiabatic quantum computation.…
The Gibbs Paradox is essentially a set of open questions as to how sameness of gases or fluids (or masses, more generally) are to be treated in thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. They have a variety of answers, some restricted to…
We introduce a new way of quantifying the degrees of incompatibility of two ob- servables in a probabilistic physical theory and, based on this, a global measure of the degree of incompatibility inherent in such theories, across all…
Energy has no definition, except that given by a conservation principle which essentially amounts to defining it as the elements of an open list of unknown cardinality. Entropy, identified by Shannon as information we lack, has too many…
The problem of the `infinite energy' of a point charge is well known in connection with the Lorentz--Abraham--Dirac equation and, more significantly, in quantum electrodynamics. Though it is not stated usually, this is strongly related to…
We summarize the recent progress on the determination of the charge symmetry breaking term of nuclear energy density functionals. We point out that the strength of the term determined theoretically is remarkably smaller than that determined…
Statistical mechanics has grown without bounds in space. Statistical mechanics of point particles in an unbounded perfect gas is commonly accepted as a foundation for understanding many systems, including liquids like the concentrated salt…
Systematic inaccuracy is inherent in any computational estimate of a non-linear average, due to the availability of only a finite number of data values, N. Free energy differences (DF) between two states or systems are critically important…
We explore the notion of events at the intersection between quantum physics and gravity, inspired by recent research on superpositions of semiclassical spacetimes. By going through various experiments and thought experiments -- from a…
The range of motion of a particle with certain energy $E$ confined in a potential is determined from the energy conservation law in classical mechanics. The counterpart of this question in quantum mechanics can be regarded as what the…
Decision-makers abhor uncertainty, and it is certainly true that the less there is of it the better. However, recognizing that uncertainty is part of the equation, particularly for deciding on environmental policy, is a prerequisite for…