Today, quantum information theory is among the most exciting scientific
frontiers, attracting billions of dollars in funding and thousands of
talented researchers. But as MIT physicist and historian David Kaiser
reveals, this cutting-edge field has a surprisingly psychedelic past.
How the Hippies Saved Physics introduces us to a band of freewheeling
physicists who defied the imperative to "shut up and calculate" and
helped to rejuvenate modern physics.
For physicists, the 1970s were a time of stagnation. Jobs became scarce,
and conformity was encouraged, sometimes stifling exploration of the
mysteries of the physical world. Dissatisfied, underemployed, and
eternally curious, an eccentric group of physicists in Berkeley,
California, banded together to throw off the constraints of the physics
mainstream and explore the wilder side of science. Dubbing themselves
the "Fundamental Fysiks Group," they pursued an audacious, speculative
approach to physics. They studied quantum entanglement and Bell's
Theorem through the lens of Eastern mysticism and psychic mind-reading,
discussing the latest research while lounging in hot tubs. Some even
dabbled with LSD to enhance their creativity. Unlikely as it may seem,
these iconoclasts spun modern physics in a new direction, forcing
mainstream physicists to pay attention to the strange but exciting
underpinnings of quantum theory.
A lively, entertaining story that illuminates the relationship between
creativity and scientific progress, How the Hippies Saved Physics
takes us to a time when only the unlikeliest heroes could break the
science world out of its rut.
