From: mk_thisisit
Sir Roger Penrose is lauded as the most outstanding researcher the speaker has had the honor to meet, and is undoubtedly considered a genius [00:03:01]. His scientific activity is distinguished by understanding and knowledge [00:03:19].
Unconventional Thinking
Penrose possesses a unique way of understanding the science of physics and mathematics, described as “orthogonal” or completely different from how most mathematicians think [00:04:08]. This distinct approach means his answers can initially be met with a lack of understanding, leading to initial conclusions of error, only for later reflection to reveal his correctness [00:03:48]. Despite being 93 years old and having almost completely lost his eyesight, he has not lost his intellectual faculties [00:03:22].
Key Contributions
Twistor Theory
Penrose created the twistor theory almost 50 years ago [00:06:08]. The initial motivation for this theory was to build a mathematical formalism capable of describing both quantum and classical physics in a similar manner [00:06:16].
A core concept of twistor theory is that it departs from the fundamental meaning of “points” in space or space-time, which are considered building blocks in most other models of the universe [00:04:57]. Instead, a light ray is considered a more elementary object [00:05:17]. The twistor space is defined as the space of all such light rays, with an additional degree of freedom, hence the name “Twistor” [00:05:23]. The theory attempts to reformulate classical and quantum physics using the language of these light rays, so that a point in space-time emerges only at a certain level [00:05:32].
While the physics of twistor theory can be unclear, it has successfully solved many problems in pure mathematics, multidimensional geometry, and the theory of differential equations [00:06:30]. Over twenty years ago, it was discovered that describing interactions like collisions or amplitudes of transferred particles (e.g., photons or gluons) was much easier using the language of twistors [00:06:51]. This breakthrough led string theorists to learn the theory, as it allowed for calculations previously considered impossible [00:07:25].
More recently, there have been breakthroughs, suggesting that twistor theory may now provide a way to reformulate quantum mechanics using simple Newtonian gravity to explain the collapse or reduction of the wave function [00:13:16]. The theory’s non-locality, where a point corresponds not to a localized region but to an infinitely long line or sphere, aligns with the non-locality observed in quantum theory [00:13:41]. Penrose and his collaborators believe they now understand how to describe this quantum nonlocality [00:14:51].
Quantum Gravity and Interactions
Penrose has collaborated on understanding how to describe quantum nonlocality in gravitational interactions [00:00:02]. The current challenge in quantum gravity is that attempts to unify classical and quantum physics by using quantum mechanics methods to describe gravity have become “stuck” [00:08:52]. The speaker, along with Penrose, proposes a different approach: keeping gravity at the level of Einstein’s equations largely unchanged, but re-examining quantum mechanics and attempting to solve its paradoxes by incorporating gravitational effects [00:12:06]. This contrasts with the prevalent belief among physicists that quantum mechanics should remain as is, while gravity theory needs to change [00:11:31].
Recognition
Maciej Lewenstein received first place in an annual distinction for important scientific essays by a foundation that evaluates work in gravity, a field where Stephen Hawking and many Nobel Prize winners, including Penrose, have been honored [00:19:45]. The award was given for an idea concerning how the existence of the cosmological constant at the edges of the universe should modify the Schwinger equation at the level of the hydrogen atom, an idea supported by calculations within twistor theory [00:22:28]. This hypothesis connected phenomena at the universe’s edges (cosmological constant/dark energy) with microscopic quantum effects (Planck constant), an audacious claim that the foundation deemed worthy of attention [00:21:02].