Introduction

• A catastrophic failure of classical physics
• How the quantum of action saved the day
• Energy levels, quantization, and quantum states
• The small scale at which quantum physics emerges

We pull at one of the loose threads that emerged and in so doing unravel the fabric of classical physics. We will see that despite classical physicists’ ability to explain and predict many extraordinary things, they were utterly incapable of explaining why fireplace pokers glowed as they did.

We will meet Max Planck, a true master in the ways of classical physics, and see how he managed to shatter some basic notions of classical physics and make room for the newfangled “quantum” theory.

Finally, we’ll learn why centuries’ worth of scientific theory and experiment had failed to reveal the existence of quantum physics, only to have it all beautifully unveiled through one arduous evening of lucky guesswork.