Well, I knew Schrödinger was pussy-mad because he kept banging on about that poor old pussy that he insisted be locked up in a box until some particle - or was it a wave? - anyway, something happened down at the really, really titchy level of existence and either poor old Tibby was dead or she was alive and no-one would know until they opened the box. He won a Nobel prize for that but frankly I would have thought it was dead obvious - no pun intended!
However, according to a review by Nicholas Blincoe(*) of John Gribbin's latest book, "Erwin Schrödinger and the Quantum Revolution", the rascal kept forgetting High Science and instead went looking for Low Pussy! Very low, in fact, because at one stage he fancied his neighbour's 14-year-old daughter, he impregnated a famous actress of the day and had to be warned off the 12-year-old niece of a friend!
I'm shocked, I tell you, shocked - but suddenly quantum physics has become just that bit more interesting!
(*) Blincoe's review is in today's Daily Telegraph but there does not appear to be a link at the moment.
(**) Via the comments below, Nicholas Blincoe has kindly sent the link to his review:
My best beloved has the recipe for Frau Schrodinger's chocolate cake. It's bad enough to drive a man to be untrue.
Posted by: dearieme | Saturday, 07 April 2012 at 19:51
Don't be such a tease, DM, send me the damn thing! At my age I need all the excitement I can get.
Posted by: David Duff | Saturday, 07 April 2012 at 20:21
Disgusting!
Signed
Disgusted of Cairns
Posted by: Andra | Saturday, 07 April 2012 at 23:11
What? Who? Schrödinger? Or Frau Schrödinger's chocalate cake?
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 08 April 2012 at 09:28
He got the Nobel for something else, actually!
Posted by: John Gribbin | Monday, 09 April 2012 at 20:09
John, welcome to D&N and thank you for your correction. Of course, you scientific swots are rather keen on exactitude but, alas, you won't find much of it round here! However, this does give me the chance to thank you for your excellent books, three of which are sitting on the shelf to my left. If only my science teachers had enjoyed your gift for explaining and clarifying; and if only I hadn't been such an idler. They'll carve "If only ..." on my headstone!
Posted by: David Duff | Tuesday, 10 April 2012 at 08:41
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/9188438/Erwin-Schrodinger-and-the-Quantum-Revolution-by-John-Gribbin-review.html
My review of the new biography.
Posted by: Nicholas Blincoe | Monday, 16 April 2012 at 18:14
Thank you, Nicholas, and I have added the link to the main copy above.
Posted by: David Duff | Monday, 16 April 2012 at 18:22