“It’s not rocket science” is a popular phrase used to describe something that’s not particularly difficult. That’s because rocket science – of all sciences – has the least room for error, where said error can result in horrendous deaths. But as Sheldon Cooper would point out, rocket science is perhaps a little less difficult to understand than quantum mechanics. And one of quantum mechanics’ most enduring memes is Schrödinger’s Cat, a kitty whose state of mortal incertitude gave rise to one of the greatest thought experiments.
For those unfamiliar with the physics – or those who haven’t watched The Big Bang Theory – Schrödinger’s cat refers to a famous thought experiment in which said kitty is supposed to be both dead and alive at the same time till the box it’s locked in is opened. It was devised by physicist Erwin Schrödinger in a discussion with Albert Einstein, and the cat’s state is one of quantum superposition of two possibilities, which is only resolved once the box is opened.
