Physics created mathematics, or was it mathematics that created physics? Back in ancient times, it is evident that gravity gave rise to what we now call a 90-degree angle, a symbol of perpendicularity in two or three dimensions. This marked our hominid ancestors’ first concrete encounter with mathematics. Other rediscoveries followed, as mathematics is, at its core, a constant RE-discovery of the hidden facets of the world around us. In the natural world, physics shaped the mathematical instincts of countless builders, from bees constructing their hives to spiders weaving their webs, both sensing forces and symmetry with innate precision.
Today, however, the realms of the infinitely small and the infinitely large can only be understood through mathematics. Our senses and intuition fall short when faced with these new dimensions. Concepts such as the EPR effect, gauge invariance, and spin would remain invisible to us without the crutches provided by mathematics.
· EPR effect: A quantum phenomenon where two particles become instantaneously linked, regardless of distance.
· Gauge invariance: A principle that certain physical properties remain unchanged under specific transformations.
· Spin: A fundamental quantum property of particles that represents intrinsic angular momentum.
