NTNU Concludes Lecture Series Celebrating the International Year of Quantum Science
NTNU marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of quantum mechanics this year, recognized by the United Nations as the International Year of Quantum Science, with a public Popular Science Lecture Series on Particle Physics and Cosmology.
Organized by the Center of Astronomy and Gravitation in collaboration with the Department of Physics, the series brought together scholars from across Taiwan to present recent developments in fundamental physics and make them accessible to a general audience.
The lecture series was planned by Dr. Ya-Lin Wu, a faculty member in NTNU’s Department of Physics. Speakers included Professor Chung-Wen Kao from the Department of Physics at Chung Yuan Christian University, along with NTNU’s Professor Wo-Lung Lee and Professor Chia-Hung Chang.
Exploring the Universe: From Particles to Cosmos
The first lecture, held on April 18, featured Professor Chung-Wen Kao, who delivered a talk titled “The Beauty of the Universe, and the Logic Behind All Things.” He introduced the historical development of particle physics and the theoretical structure of the Standard Model, which describes fundamental particles and their interactions. He also discussed the ongoing pursuit to unify the four fundamental forces of nature—of which the electromagnetic and weak forces have already been successfully merged.
On April 24, Professor Wo-Lung Lee presented “Hubble Tension and Dark Energy,” addressing discrepancies in measurements of the universe’s expansion rate. This phenomenon, known as Hubble tension, challenges standard cosmological models. To resolve this, Professor Lee introduced his theory of dynamic dark energy, suggesting that dark energy may change over time, offering a possible explanation for the observed data mismatch.
The final lecture on May 2 was delivered by Professor Chia-Hung Chang, titled “The Quiet, All-Encompassing Higgs Field Beneath All Things.” He introduced the concept of the Higgs field and its essential role in giving mass to fundamental particles. He explained how the Higgs boson, discovered at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider in 2012, confirmed theoretical predictions made in the 1960s and remains central to our understanding of the physical universe.
The series drew strong interest from NTNU faculty, students, and members of the public, highlighting the importance of engaging broad audiences in contemporary scientific research. By connecting quantum physics with cosmological exploration, the series showcased the deep interrelation between the microscopic and macroscopic worlds. Professor Chang concluded the final session by introducing several theoretical directions beyond the Standard Model, underscoring how much more remains to be discovered.