Big Think Is science about to end? | Sabine Hossenfelder
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Oct 14, 2025 
In a thought-provoking discussion, theoretical physicist Sabine Hossenfelder challenges the notion that science is nearing its end. She critiques John Horgan's idea of a 'Theory of Everything,' emphasizing the unresolved nature of gravity within the Standard Model. Hossenfelder dives into the perplexing quantum measurement problem and its potential to revolutionize technology. With optimism, she forecasts significant breakthroughs in quantum technologies over the next two decades, driving progress in understanding our universe.
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Is Science Near Its Finish Line?
- John Horgan argued in The End of Science that big discoveries were mostly behind us and only minor additions remain.
- Sabine Hossenfelder disagrees and argues asking if science is 'over' is a valid but likely wrong perspective.
The Missing Quantum Gravity
- A theory of everything must unify all four fundamental forces into one coherent framework.
- We currently lack a working quantum theory of gravity and are far from such a unifying theory.
The Quantum Measurement Problem
- The measurement process in quantum mechanics remains unresolved and causes practical confusion in experiments.
- Understanding what constitutes a measurement is crucial and the current theory cannot answer it.
