Researched
Quantum Electrodynamics
Feynman, Schwinger and Tomonaga make quantum field theory calculable (1948) and predict the electron's magnetism to many digits.
Open in the interactive tree →Their renormalisation tamed the infinities in light-matter interaction, and Feynman diagrams became the standard calculation tool. QED is among the best-tested theories in physics and the model for the Standard Model.
Prerequisites
- Theory of Relativity1905
- Quantum Mechanics1925
- Antimatter1932
Unlocks
- Standard Model of Particles1973The electroweak and strong theories reuse QED's field-theory methods
- Muon g-2: Final Result2025The muon g-2 measurement tests QED and the Standard Model to many digits
Sources
More in Physics · Atomic & Space Age
- CERN1954
- Atomic Clock1955
- Laser1960
- Bell Test of Entanglement1964
- CO2 Laser1964
- Cosmic Microwave Background1964
- Evidence for Dark Matter1970
- Excimer Laser1970