What do relationships have to do with quantum physics? More than you might expect. At the Staatstheater Mainz, physicist Tilman Pfau turns the spotlight on a hidden world: the surprising ways atoms bond and interact.
In his lecture “Relationship Questions in Quantum Mechanics,” Pfau shows that the familiar rules of chemistry tell only part of the story. Near absolute zero (-273°Celsius), entirely new regimes emerge: atoms connect through extremely weak forces, forming delicate and sometimes exotic states—and can even exist in superpositions of being both bound and unbound.
What sounds like science fiction is, in fact, cutting-edge research. Pfau guides the audience into a realm where classical ideas of connection, stability, and distance begin to break down. Quantum physics reveals relationships that defy everyday intuition—opening new perspectives on the fundamental nature of matter.
The “Physics in the Theatre” series brings science to the stage, demonstrating just how compelling and surprising modern research can be.
When: 2 November 2025 at 6 p.m.
Where: Großes Haus, Staatstheater Mainz
Organizer: Mainz Institute for Theoretical Physics, PRISMA++ Cluster of Excellence, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
