Erwin Schrödinger

Erwin Schrödinger
Institutions	University of Vienna; University of Oxford; Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies
Nationality	Austrian
Awards	Nobel Prize in Physics (1933)
Known for	Schrödinger equation; Schrödinger's cat
Occupation	Physicist
Field	Quantum mechanics
Wikidata	Q9130

Erwin Schrödinger was an Austrian theoretical physicist (1887–1961) whose work laid the foundations of quantum mechanics (the branch of physics that describes atoms and subatomic particles). He is best known for the Schrödinger equation, a fundamental wave equation describing how atomic and subatomic particles behave. He shared the 1933 Nobel Prize in Physics for this discovery. Schrödinger later proposed a famous thought experiment – known as Schrödinger’s cat – to highlight the strange implications of quantum theory. He also wrote influential books linking physics to biology and philosophy, reflecting his wide-ranging intellect.

Early Life and Education

Erwin Schrödinger was born on August 12, 1887, in Vienna, Austria, the only child of Rudolf Schrödinger, a factory owner, and his wife Georgine. His mother had an English background, so Schrödinger grew up fluent in both German and English. He was educated at home by tutors until age 11, then attended the prestigious Akademisches Gymnasium in Vienna. Schrödinger was a gifted student, especially in mathematics, physics, and languages. In 1906 he entered the University of Vienna to study physics, earning a Ph.D. in 1910 for a thesis on the conduction of electricity in moist air.

After earning his doctorate, Schrödinger became an assistant at the University of Vienna. During World War I (1914–1918) he served as an artillery officer with the Austro-Hungarian Army. Even while in military service he published papers on thermodynamics, atomic theory, and the statistical nature of radioactive decay. After the war he returned to academic life. In 1920 he married Anny (Annemarie) Bertel and took a faculty position at the University of Jena in Germany. Over the next few years he held posts at the University of Stuttgart and the University of Breslau. Late in 1921, Schrödinger accepted a position at the Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland. This would be the setting for some of his most important work.

Major Works and Ideas

Schrödinger’s most famous scientific contribution came in 1926, when he developed what we now call wave mechanics. Building on Louis de Broglie’s idea that particles like electrons behave like waves, Schrödinger formulated a wave equation to describe their behavior. In six papers that year he introduced the Schrödinger equation, a partial differential equation (an equation involving rates of change in time and space) for a mathematical object called the wave function. This wave function (usually denoted Ψ) encodes all information about the quantum state of a system, and its squared magnitude gives the probability of finding the particle in each possible location or energy state. The equation showed that electrons in atoms could only occupy certain discrete (quantized) energy levels – exactly matching the observed spectral lines of hydrogen and other elements. In effect, the Schrödinger equation does for the atomic world what Newton’s laws do for planetary orbits: it provides a precise predictive framework, though at the quantum scale it deals with probabilities rather than definite trajectories.

In 1935 Schrödinger proposed a now-classic thought experiment to expose what he saw as an absurdity in quantum theory. He imagined a cat sealed inside a closed steel box with a device that would randomly release poison based on the decay of a radioactive atom. According to the quantum rules of the time, until the box is opened (the system is observed), the atom is in a superposition of decayed and undecayed states, and thus the cat would be in a superposition of alive and dead states at the same time. Schrödinger did not believe a cat could literally be both alive and dead; his point was to illustrate that something in the usual interpretation of quantum mechanics seemed paradoxical. Today this “Schrödinger’s cat” scenario remains a famous illustration of quantum superposition and the problems of measurement.

Schrödinger also made contributions beyond atomic physics. In 1944 he published the book What Is Life? The Physical Aspect of the Living Cell, in which he used physics concepts to think about genetics. He wondered how living organisms maintain highly ordered structures and defined the hereditary molecule as an “aperiodic crystal” that carries genetic information in its complex structure. This idea inspired early molecular biologists (notably Francis Crick and James Watson) to search for a physical explanation of genes. Although later biology found more detailed answers (such as the discovery of DNA’s double-helix structure in 1953), What Is Life? is widely credited with helping to spark the revolution of molecular biology.

In addition to these works, Schrödinger wrote on several other scientific and philosophical subjects. For example, his book Nature and the Greeks (1954) explored ancient Greek science and philosophy, and My View of the World (1961) expressed his personal philosophical and mystical reflections influenced by Eastern thought. Throughout his career Schrödinger published many papers on diverse topics, including attempts to unify gravity and electromagnetism with methods similar to those of Einstein. He was admired for covering an unusually wide range of ideas with mathematical depth.

Method

Schrödinger was primarily a theoretical physicist, so his methods were mathematical and conceptual rather than experimental. He often used familiar classical analogies to guide his thinking. For example, he conceived of electrons as waves and drew on the mathematics of vibrating systems (like strings or membranes) to formulate his quantum equations. In essence, he recast the problem of electron energies in an atom as an eigenvalue problem: only certain standing-wave solutions of his equation were allowed, each corresponding to a specific energy. This perspective gave a clear, visualizable picture of atomic states.

Schrödinger’s approach contrasted with the abstract, matrix-based methods used by some contemporaries. He showed that his wave-based formulation and the algebraic (matrix) formulation of quantum mechanics were mathematically equivalent, even though physically he preferred the wave viewpoint. He believed the wave function was a real, continuous field and felt uneasy about purely statistical or discontinuous interpretations of reality. This philosophical stance is reflected in how he tested ideas: he would devise thought experiments (like the cat) to probe conceptual weaknesses. In writing and teaching, Schrödinger was known for clarity and breadth: he could explain complex ideas in several languages, and he freely drew on literature, philosophy, and history in his scientific perspective.

Influence

Schrödinger’s work reshaped the entire landscape of modern physics and had ripple effects in other fields. In physics and chemistry, his wave equation became a fundamental tool: it is still taught in every quantum mechanics course and is used to predict the behavior of electrons in atoms, molecules, and solids. Practically every advance in modern physics—from the understanding of chemical bonds to the operation of lasers and semiconductors—relies on concepts that trace back to Schrödinger’s theory. His clear thinking and pedagogical style also inspired generations of physicists. Many of the great physicists of the era—including Albert Einstein (who became his colleague in Berlin) and Max Planck—praised his work and discussed ideas with him, spreading his influence. Later developments in quantum science, including quantum computing and quantum information, continue to build on principles of superposition and wave mechanics that Schrödinger helped pioneer.

In biology, Schrödinger’s influence is also notable. His book What Is Life? introduced the idea that living cells must store information in an “aperiodic crystal,” anticipating the notion of a genetic code. Young scientists like James Watson cited this book as a key inspiration for their discovery of DNA’s structure in the 1950s. In this way, Schrödinger helped bring physical thinking into biology and inspired the field of molecular genetics. Beyond science, his writings and public lectures made him a renowned figure. The Schrödinger’s cat thought experiment, for example, has entered cultural parlance as a symbol of paradox and uncertainty, referenced in everything from novels to cartoons. His life and ideas have inspired books, plays, and even music, making Schrödinger a lasting icon at the intersection of science, philosophy, and culture.

Critiques

Schrödinger’s ideas were not without controversy. For example, the Schrödinger equation he formulated is strictly non-relativistic (it does not include the rules of Einstein’s relativity or the electron’s intrinsic spin), so it had to be later extended by other physicists (e.g. Paul Dirac) to cover more general cases. Many in the physics community also debated Schrödinger’s favored interpretation of quantum mechanics. He insisted on a continuous wave-based reality, while others—led by Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg—held that the wave function represents only probabilities and that discrete quantum jumps are fundamental. Schrödinger’s famous cat paradox itself was criticized as unrealistic (a real cat cannot be isolated in a perfect quantum superposition) and as depending on an overly literal view of what counts as an “observation” in quantum theory.

Outside physics, some of Schrödinger’s broader speculations invited critique. In What Is Life?, he made predictions about genes and heredity that were very forward-looking, but specific biological mechanisms (like the detailed structure of DNA) only became clear with later discoveries. Some philosophers and scientists found his interest in mysticism and Eastern philosophies (which appear in his later writings) to be an unusual departure for a physicist. Nevertheless, even his critics acknowledge that his probing questions—and even his mistakes—helped drive a deeper understanding of physics and biology. Debate around Schrödinger’s ideas helped sharpen modern quantum theory and guided future research.

Legacy

Erwin Schrödinger’s legacy in science and culture is immense. Today he is remembered as one of the founders of quantum mechanics, and his name is embedded in the fabric of modern physics. The Schrödinger equation remains the central tool for understanding atoms, molecules, and solids. Even the thought experiment “Schrödinger’s cat” has become an icon of quantum strangeness, frequently cited in popular science discussions, literature, and media. His interdisciplinary interests also left a mark: early molecular biologists credit his ideas for guiding them toward the discovery of the physical basis of genetics, and his writings on philosophical topics continue to be read by thinkers interested in science and consciousness.

In honor of his impact, several institutions and awards carry his name. For example, the Erwin Schrödinger International Institute for Mathematics and Physics (ESI) in Vienna was established to promote research in his spirit. There is also a crater on the Moon’s far side named “Schrödinger,” and his name has appeared on Austrian commemorative coins and banknotes. Physicists prize his clear and eloquent writings, and conferences on quantum theory often invoke his insights. In short, Schrödinger’s influence persists in every corner of physics, chemistry, and beyond: he is remembered as a pioneering scientist whose ideas continue to inspire new generations of scientists and scholars.

Selected Works

Quantisierung als Eigenwertproblem (1926) – Series of landmark papers (in Annalen der Physik) in which Schrödinger formulated wave mechanics and the Schrödinger equation.
What Is Life? The Physical Aspect of the Living Cell (1944) – Influential book applying quantum concepts to biology and genetics.
Nature and the Greeks (1954) – Book exploring how ancient Greek science and philosophy relate to modern scientific thought.
My View of the World (Meine Weltanschauung, 1961) – Schrödinger’s last book, reflecting his personal philosophy, inspired by Eastern thought.

Timeline

1887 – Born in Vienna, Austria.
1906 – Entered the University of Vienna.
1910 – Earned Ph.D. from the University of Vienna.
1914–1918 – Served in World War I (Austro-Hungarian Army) and continued research in physics.
1920 – Married Anny Bertel; appointed to the University of Jena.
1921 – Joined the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich.
1926 – Published foundational papers on wave mechanics and the Schrödinger equation.
1927 – Became Max Planck’s successor at the University of Berlin (colleague of Albert Einstein).
1933 – Left Germany due to the Nazi regime; awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics (shared with Paul Dirac).
1934–1935 – Held a fellowship at Oxford University.
1936 – Returned to Austria as a professor at the University of Graz.
1938 – Fled Europe after the Anschluss (annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany); moved through Italy and England.
1940 – Joined the Institute for Advanced Studies in Dublin as Director of the School of Theoretical Physics.
1944 – Published What Is Life?, influencing the emerging field of molecular biology.
1956 – Retired and returned to Vienna, becoming Professor Emeritus at the University of Vienna.
1961 – Died in Vienna on January 4.