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Sabine Hossenfelder

"Theoretical physicists used to explain what was observed. Now they try to explain why they can't explain what was not observed."

Fearlessly critical of the scientific mainstream, Sabine Hossenfelder is a groundbreaking theoretical physicist who specialises in the foundations of science. She is a leading science communicator, a best-selling author, and a researcher. Her recent books include Lost in Math: How Beauty Leads Physics Astray, and the New York Times' Best Selling Existential Physics: A Scientist's Guide to Life's Biggest Questions.

Hossenfelder also has a popular YouTube channel,  "Science without the gobbledygook," that has amassed over 80 million views. Her writing has featured in some of the world's top publications, including Scientific American, New Scientist, and Nautilus.

“A physicist who is utterly fearless, completely honest, and quite funny.” - Peter Woit, mathematical physicist

Photo of Sabine Hossenfelder

"Theoretical physicists used to explain what was observed. Now they try to explain why they can't explain what was not observed."

Fearlessly critical of the scientific mainstream, Sabine Hossenfelder is a groundbreaking theoretical physicist who specialises in the foundations of science. She is a leading science communicator, a best-selling author, and a researcher. Her recent books include Lost in Math: How Beauty Leads Physics Astray, and the New York Times' Best Selling Existential Physics: A Scientist's Guide to Life's Biggest Questions.

Hossenfelder also has a popular YouTube channel,  "Science without the gobbledygook," that has amassed over 80 million views. Her writing has featured in some of the world's top publications, including Scientific American, New Scientist, and Nautilus.

“A physicist who is utterly fearless, completely honest, and quite funny.” - Peter Woit, mathematical physicist

Sabine Hossenfelder Videos

A vibrant, densely packed globular cluster of stars against a dark cosmic background, showcasing a multitude of colorful stars and interstellar dust.
Erik Verlinde,Catherine Heymans,Sabine Hossenfelder,Jonas Rademacker

The Dark Universe

Are theories of dark matter and dark energy true?
A colorful abstract representation of atomic particles and energy paths, illustrating fundamental concepts of physics and quantum mechanics.
Sabine Hossenfelder,Matt O'Dowd

The quantum unknown

Sabine Hossenfelder in conversation with Matt O’Dowd
A futuristic bridge illuminated with blue LED lights, featuring geometric triangular designs, extending into a misty landscape.
Roger Penrose,Markus Gabriel,Sabine Hossenfelder,David Malone

Truth and Beauty

Do beautiful theories really explain the world?
Colorful abstract illustration of bubbles and swirling particles, featuring shades of pink and blue against a dark background, evoking a sense of depth and movement.
Roger Penrose,Sabine Hossenfelder,Güneş Taylor,Slavoj Žižek

Quantum and the unknowable universe

Has quantum physics made the universe unknowable?
A stylized illustration of a brain surrounded by mixed media elements, including newspaper clippings and abstract shapes against a coral background.
Hilary Lawson,Sabine Hossenfelder,Güneş Taylor,Nick Lane,Yoshua Bengio

The consciousness test

Is AI sentient?

Sabine Hossenfelder Articles

A woman stands in front of a chalkboard covered in scientific equations and diagrams, wearing a maroon sweater and glasses.
Sabine Hossenfelder

Why the foundations of physics have not progressed for 40 years
A vibrant jellyfish with intricate tentacles gliding gracefully through dark ocean waters, showcasing its translucent body and colorful features.
Sabine Hossenfelder

Is Space-Time Fluid?
Abstract digital representation of sound waves, featuring flowing, colorful waveforms in shades of pink and blue against a dark background.
Sabine Hossenfelder,Alexis Papazoglou

We still don't understand the measurement problem
Abstract visualization featuring colorful, glowing circular patterns and waves, creating a dynamic and vibrant display against a dark background.
Sabine Hossenfelder

Physics alone can't answer the big questions
A blackboard filled with colorful equations and diagrams representing various scientific concepts, including physics, mathematics, and engineering principles.
Sabine Hossenfelder

Physics isn't pretty
A realistic depiction of Earth partially submerged in water, showcasing continents with detailed geographical features and an atmospheric, moody background.
Sabine Hossenfelder

When to trust scientists

More Videos

A vibrant cosmic scene depicting an atom at its center, surrounded by colorful bursts of energy and galaxies, representing the vastness of the universe and atomic structure.
Sabine Hossenfelder

What's wrong with physics

How can we regain its once great reputation?
A cosmic scene featuring a dark background with a swirling formation of stars, planets, and colorful cosmic dust creating a circular pattern.
Hilary Lawson,Lee Smolin,Tara Shears,Sabine Hossenfelder

The anti-universe

The biggest jump in physics?
Colorful abstract illustration of bubbles and swirling particles, featuring shades of pink and blue against a dark background, evoking a sense of depth and movement.
Roger Penrose,Sabine Hossenfelder,Güneş Taylor,Slavoj Žižek

Quantum and the unknowable universe

Has quantum physics made the universe unknowable?
A stylized depiction of a black hole surrounded by a glowing ring, resembling a planet with rings, set against a starry background.
Sabine Hossenfelder,Catherine Heymans,Michael Shermer,Brian Greene,Eric Weinstein

The end of everything

Is a theory of everything just around the corner?

A vibrant depiction of a cosmic landscape featuring several planets, including a ringed planet resembling Saturn, surrounded by distant galaxies and bright stars.
Sabine Hossenfelder,Chris Impey,Bjørn Ekeberg,James Ladyman

Our story of the universe

And how it really began
A person with a shaved head sits in front of a background of green binary code, with colorful lights casting abstract shadows across their face.
Anders Sandberg,Massimo Pigliucci,Sabine Hossenfelder,Güneş Taylor,Anil Seth

Lost in the Matrix

Are we living in a computer simulation?
A colorful abstract representation of atomic particles and energy paths, illustrating fundamental concepts of physics and quantum mechanics.
Sabine Hossenfelder,Matt O'Dowd

The quantum unknown

Sabine Hossenfelder in conversation with Matt O’Dowd
A close-up of a hand reaching towards a glowing green light in a dimly lit environment, creating a mysterious and atmospheric effect.
Sabine Hossenfelder

What are Breakthroughs in Science?
A futuristic, stylized female figure wearing a high-tech helmet, showcasing a vibrant cityscape inside, set against a cosmic background with planets and geometric structures.
Sabine Hossenfelder

Science needs philosophy

An interview with Sabine Hossenfelder
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Erik Verlinde,Sabine Hossenfelder,Priyamvada-Natarajan,Bjørn Ekeberg

Gravity and the universe

The mysteries of gravity
A group of four prominent scientists and thinkers, engaged in discussions, with a backdrop of mathematical or scientific concepts.
Sabine Hossenfelder,Michio Kaku,Mary-Jane Rubenstein,Max Tegmark,Juan Maldacena

Fantasy, faith, and physics

The hidden motivations of physicists
Sabine Hossenfelder,Philip Ball,Bjørn Ekeberg,Sam Henry

New theories of the universe

Is it time to move past the standard model?
A woman with curly hair, wearing a pink top, discusses with a man in a suit and glasses, both engaged in a serious conversation.
Hilary Lawson,Sabine Hossenfelder

In conversation: Sabine Hossenfelder and Hilary Lawson

On physics' need for philosophy
A swirling galaxy surrounded by mathematical equations and symbols, representing concepts in physics and cosmology.
Lee Smolin,Phillip Ball,Sabine Hossenfelder,Paul Davies

The universe, fixity and flux

Exploring the laws of the universe
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John Ellis,Jim Baggott,Sabine Hossenfelder,David Malone

The crisis of particle physics

The mystery of reality & physics' biggest problem
A digital illustration of an atom with glowing electrons orbiting a vibrant nucleus, surrounded by dynamic light streaks and particles.
Sabine Hossenfelder,Bjørn Ekeberg,Gavin Salam,Shini Somara

Physics, particles, and fairytales

Towards the end of the standard model
A series of Earth globes, each slightly rotated, showcasing Africa, set against a cosmic, starry background.
Roger Penrose,Hilary Lawson,Sabine Hossenfelder,Michio Kaku

The mystery of the multiverse

Should we abandon the multiverse theory?
A stylized representation of an atom, featuring a nucleus made of purple and pink protons and neutrons, with blue electrons orbiting around it.
Sabine Hossenfelder

Physicists need to learn from their mistakes

An interview with Sabine Hossenfelder
Sabine Hossenfelder

Physics doesn't have to be pretty

Shedding light on theoretical physics

More Articles

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Richard Panek

Don't believe the dark matter hype
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Harry Cliff

Hints of a new fundamental force
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Clifford Will,Nicolás Yunes

Is Einstein still right?
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George Ellis

The Philosophical Problems of Cosmology
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Marcelo Gleiser

Physics needs an aesthetic revolution
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Bjørn Ekeberg,Louis Marmet

Escaping cosmology’s failing paradigm
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Jenann Ismael

Physics forgets we are part of reality
Paul Davies

We know how time will end, but not how it started
A vibrant, colorful visualization of sound waves, featuring multiple overlapping waveforms in shades of blue, yellow, pink, and purple against a black background.
Alyssa Ney

Reality is just a quantum wave function
Three ethereal wings: two pink, feathery wings on the left and a single white, fluffy wing on the right, all set against a black background.
Jimena Canales

The power of the unreal in scientific discovery
A vibrant nebula filled with colorful gas and dust, showcasing stars and cosmic elements in a deep space setting.
Emma Curtis Lake

Rewriting the history of the Universe
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Milena Ivanova

The Beauty of Experiments Matters
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The many meanings of Schrödinger's cat
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Dean Buonomano

Einstein and why the block universe is a mistake
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Marina Cortês

The most complex thing in the universe
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Martin Bauer

The new threat to the Standard Model
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Alexis Papazoglou,Michio Kaku

Symmetry is a Guide to Reality
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Bjørn Ekeberg

The Delusions of Cosmology
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Alexis Papazoglou

The multiverse under fire
An abstract image featuring dynamic, wavy patterns of blue and red light on a dark background, creating a vibrant, futuristic visual effect.
Lee Smolin,Alexis Papazoglou

Lee Smolin: the laws of the universe are changing
Image of the Stephan's Quintet, a visual grouping of five galaxies interacting with each other, showcasing bright regions of gas and star formation against a deep space backdrop.
Pavel Kroupa

Dark Matter Doesn't Exist
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Alexis Papazoglou

The future is radically open
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Lydia Patton

Black holes could challenge Relativity
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Carlo Rovelli,Alexis Papazoglou

Consciousness is irrelevant to Quantum Mechanics
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Julian Barbour

Time is the increase of order, not disorder
An abstract representation of an atom featuring colorful electron orbits and molecular structures, emphasizing the interconnectedness of atomic and molecular concepts.
Blake Stacey

Quantum mechanics and our part in creating reality
An artistic representation of Albert Einstein, featuring a colorful filter with his iconic playful expression, sticking out his tongue.
Tim Maudlin

Quantum Theory and Common Sense: It's Complicated
A detailed image of deep space featuring numerous stars, galaxies, and cosmic structures, showcasing the vastness of the universe and its celestial bodies.
Eric J. Lerner

The Big Bang didn't happen
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Milena Ivanova

James Webb images were made to look beautiful
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Peter Cameron

Infinity: the question cosmology can't answer