Alamy; SPL
The story of the birth of quantum mechanics is often told, but not always correctly, in my opinion. Introductory quantum physics classes focus on the famous equation written by Erwin Schrödinger in 1926, which describes quantum waves. I think the emphasis on these waves has generated a confusion that persists today. The birth of quantum theory happened a year earlier, largely in the work of Max Born and his collaborators. And I like to draw attention to this point not just to give Born deserved credit, but also because I think the emphasis on Schrödinger’s waves is responsible…
