Beyond Quantum Weirdness, Physics of Life, and the Laws We Haven’t Found Yet

In this episode of Curiosity Entangled, theoretical physicist Chiara Marletto and science writer Philip Ball dive deep into the meaning and future of quantum theory, exploring how physics may eventually help us understand life, thought, and the laws that govern complex systems. They reflect on what makes quantum mechanics feel strange, the conceptual leap brought by quantum information theory, and how foundational ideas in physics are increasingly influencing biology, computation, and even thermodynamics.Chiara and Philip also explore what it would take to move past our current scientific frameworks—and whether new principles or laws may be hiding in plain sight, waiting to be articulated. This is a conversation about physics at the edge, curiosity without borders, and how new stories in science might soon emerge.🌐 Learn more about the guestsChiara Marletto – https://www.chiaramarletto.com/Author of The Science of Can and Can’t – https://www.chiaramarletto.com/books/the-science-of-can-and-cant/Philip Ball – https://philipball.co.uk/Author of Beyond Weird – https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Weird-Everything-Thought-Different/dp/022655838X🧠 5 Questions This Episode Might Leave You With1. Could physics help predict the trajectory of life, not just describe it?2. What would it take to move beyond quantum theory—and what parts of it will likely remain?3. Why is it still so hard to agree on what quantum mechanics says about reality?4. How might thermodynamics evolve in a world where information is fundamental?5. Are we missing a set of universal laws that apply beyond particles—across biology, cognition, and complexity?⏱️ Highlights & Timestamps00:01:07 – Rethinking quantum theory: weirdness or beauty?00:04:19 – Wheeler’s vision: telling quantum stories without equations00:05:24 – Quantum information theory reframes superposition and entanglement00:08:05 – Quantum mechanics as a theory about what we can know00:14:34 – Proof in hardware: why quantum computers matter00:20:59 – When fundamental theory becomes usable technology00:24:00 – What might survive in the next theory after quantum mechanics?00:26:10 – Testing if gravity is quantum—in the lab00:34:08 – The struggle to unify interpretations of quantum theory00:36:03 – Will quantum thermodynamics become a universal science?00:44:52 – Searching for laws that transcend scale and subject00:54:00 – Can physics make biology more predictive?01:04:21 – Reflections on research, funding, and intellectual freedomFollow Accelerator Media:https://x.com/xceleratormediahttps://instagram.com/xcelerator.media/https://linkedin.com/company/accelerator-media-org