Physics and Cosmology in the 20th Century

Two major paradigms emerged out of classical mechanics during the first decades of the twentieth century: special relativity (1905) and quantum mechanics (1900 - 1930). When applied to the physics of gravity, special relativity led to general relativity (1915), and, this in turn, led to Big Bang cosmology. Meanwhile quantum mechanics, when united with special relativity (1930), produced relativistic quantum mechanics / quantum field theory, and eventually to particle physics, in which electromagnetism and the weak nuclear force were unified (e.g., the electroweak force), and these unified with the strong nuclear force (fundamental particle physics) (1940's - present).

Quantum corrections to the early universe led to inflationary Big Bang cosmology (1970's-present). Current research areas include attempts a superunification of all of physics, including gravity, in terms of quantum gravity and its application to cosmology. Meanwhile, classical thermodynamics, developed in the 19th century, led to non-linear, non-equilibrium thermodynamics and its application to systems showing the spontaneous emergence of order from chaos (1960's - present).

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