The quest to understand quantum mechanics has led to remarkable technological advancements, granting us power and control over the natural world. However, despite these successes, the paradoxes and mysteries surrounding the theory continue to challenge our understanding of reality. This raises the question of whether science, particularly quantum mechanics, provides us with true comprehension of the world or merely equips us with power without deeper understanding, writes John Horgan.

As a science writer, I’ve always felt a little embarrassed by my lack of formal mathematical training. And so three years ago, at the beginning of the Covid pandemic, I set out to learn the math underlying quantum mechanics. My quantum experiment, as I came to call it, has had an unexpected outcome. Instead of enlightening me, it has made me wonder whether we’ll ever really know the world or ourselves.

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