Laws of Nature Series
www.laws-of-nature.net
Laws of Nature Series promotes the exchange of physical, philosophical, and mathematical ideas in the field of the foundations of quantum physics.
Currently, this initiative is organized by
- Angelo Bassi from the University of Trieste,
- Dirk – André Deckert from the LMU Munich, and
- Paula Reichert from the LMU Munich, and
- Ward Struyve from the KU Leuven, and
- Fabian Nolte from the LMU Munich.
Zoom sessions will open at 16:10, and talks will begin promptly at 16:15.
Talks in this series will vary in duration from 60 to 90 minutes and are composed of two parts.
- A Perspective (10-25 min + short Q&A):The first part welcomes a broader audience to the specific research field—its key questions, visions, short- and long-term goals, historical background, and currently active areas of investigation. It also highlights how the results presented in the following Core Talk fit into this broader context. Whenever possible, special attention is given to making this part accessible and engaging for junior participants and non-specialists.
- Core Talk (40-60 min + Q&A and discussion):The second part follows the format of a traditional research seminar and is primarily intended for specialists in the field. It focuses on the speaker’s own research results introduced in the Perspective, including all necessary technical details and discussions.
| Session | Speakers | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 10, 2025, 16:15 Brussels timeMathematical Physics | Peter Pickl | Effective Equations – Bridging the Gap between Microscopic and Macroscopic UnderstandingIn recent years there has been quite some progress in understanding the effective descriptions of interacting many body systems. While finding analytical or numerical solutions for interacting systems of many particles is in many cases impossible with given techniques, physicists use effective, simplified descriptions to describe the main features of the systems. These effective descriptions significantly reduce the complexity of the system by considering only a selected limited number of the degrees of freedom of the system – the macro-variables of the system.In the talk the most important steps in the derivation of some selected effective equations from microscopic principles will be given. A special emphasis will be the derivation of a time-irreversible macro-dynamics from time-reversible microscopic equations.Watch the recording on YouTube. |
| Dec. 08, 2025, 16:15 Brussels timeMethodology | Tim Maudlin | On the Methodology of Actual PhysicsPhysicists and philosophers often allow themselves the luxury of contemplating the methodology of a sort of idealized physicist. One such tempting model of how physicists make predictions is provided by Laplace’s (or more accurately Bošković’s) demon: the complete physical state of the universe at a moment is fed into some fundamental dynamical equation and then one calculates what will-or might-happen. Of course, everyone knows that this is an idealization. The requisite initial condition cannot, in fact, be known. And even if it were, the calculation could not be done. So arriving at actual predictions must involve idealizations and simplifications. But the extent and nature of those idealizations and simplifications has not, I think, been properly acknowledged, especially in the context of quantum-mechanical predictions.I will consider the problem at a somewhat abstract level, and then make specific remarks about predictions of arrival-place and arrival-time predictions that are based in quantum theory. There, the conceptual foundations of the predictive methods are more shaky and contestable than is generally recognized.Join us on Zoom. |
| Jan. 12, 2025, 16:15 Brussels timeExperimental Physics | Cătălina Curceanu | Challenging Quantum Mechanics Underground: Hunting Collapse Signals and Pauli Principle ViolationsQuantum mechanics is the most successful theory of the microscopic world; yet its foundations still pose deep questions. How is the wave function collapsing (the famous measurement problem)? Is the Pauli Exclusion Principle truly inviolable?In this talk, I will present a series of precision underground experiments at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (Italy) designed to explore possible deviations from standard quantum mechanics. Using state-of-the-art low-background radiation detectors, we search for two classes of rare signals:spontaneous radiation predicted by collapse models, proposed as solutions to the quantum measurement problem and potentially linked to gravity;Pauli-forbidden atomic transitions, which would indicate a violation of one of the cornerstones of quantum physics.I will discuss our latest results and future plans for gravity-related collapse tests, as well as broader constraints on Continuous Spontaneous Localization (CSL) models. I will also present the VIP experiment, dedicated to high-sensitivity searches for Pauli Exclusion Principle violations, and highlight how these studies interface with emerging ideas in quantum gravity.This seminar offers a journey to the deepest underground laboratory and to the frontiers of our understanding of Nature’s laws, and aims to stimulate discussion and foster synergies for future collaborations. |
| Jan. 19, 2025, 16:15 Brussels timeMathematical Physics | Michael Kiessling | t.b.a. |
| Jan. 26, 2025, 16:15 Brussels timePhilosophy | Vincent Lam | t.b.a. |
| Feb. 02, 2025, 16:15 Brussels timeMathematical Physics | Volker Bach | Description of Many-Particle Systems by Effective Theories |