How Beauty Leads Physics Astray

Explore the controversial relationship between beauty and physics in this thought-provoking Santa Fe Institute lecture. Delve into the 40-year stagnation in foundational physics caused by an overreliance on aesthetic arguments. Examine how physicists define beauty in theories and why this approach has led to costly experimental failures. Gain insights into the crisis facing modern physics and the need for a paradigm shift. Learn about historical examples, including quantum mechanics, and understand the impact on major projects like the Large Hadron Collider. Discover how the field can move forward and overcome its current challenges through the perspective of science writer Sabine Hossenfelder.