I'm aware of that, but this topic is clearly not outside her area of expertise (it's very much outside mine though!). Who is to say whether it's clickbait or a genuine attempt to educate the masses about science?
I. On Mon, 6 Oct 2025 at 18:17, David J. Schuller < [email protected]> wrote: > I hope you are aware that Sabine Hossenfelder has been accused of > sensationalism, using clickbait headlines, calling modern physics > "pseudoscience", etc. Some of her videos are good, but she is most suspect > when venturing outside her own specialty. > > https://sites.psu.edu/astrowright/2017/06/23/outrage-and-sensationalism/ > > https://timothynguyen.org/2025/08/21/physics-grifters-eric-weinstein-sabine-hossenfelder-and-a-crisis-of-credibility/ > > https://www.reddit.com/r/AskPhysics/comments/1isje08/what_is_the_general_consensus_of_physicists_on/ > > ======================================================================= > All Things Serve the Beam > ======================================================================= > David J. Schuller > modern man in a post-modern world > MacCHESS, Cornell University > [email protected] > ------------------------------ > *From:* CCP4 bulletin board <[email protected]> on behalf of Ian > Tickle <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Monday, October 6, 2025 13:05 > *To:* [email protected] <[email protected]> > *Subject:* Re: [ccp4bb] Single Electron Counting, The Measurement > Problem, Symmetric Sampling > > Sabine Hossenfelder (theoretical physicist at LMU, Munich: see her > excellent series of videos on YouTube) argues that the measurement problem > in QM is fundamentally different from the one in classical physics. In the > latter it's about errors inherent in the measuring apparatus ("experimental > errors"). In QM there's a fundamental limit on the precision of > measurements (Heisenberg) that is inherent in all quantum systems and no > amount of improvements in the apparatus is going to improve on that. Thus > she concludes "In QM the measurement problem is not about measurement". > > -- Ian > > > On Mon, 6 Oct 2025 at 17:26, Nave, Colin (DLSLtd,RAL,LSCI) < > [email protected]> wrote: > > Dear Marin, > > I cheated and asked a LLM view of what you were saying by feeding it the > email, rather than the series of papers. Is this a fair representation.? > > Regards > > Colin > > *Cryo-Electron Microscopy (Cryo-EM)* is a technique for imaging > biological molecules at near-atomic resolution. Electron counting cameras > are advanced detectors that count individual electrons rather than > measuring their cumulative energy. This leads to more precise imaging. > > > > *The Measurement Problem in Quantum Mechanics* > > The Measurement Problem refers to the puzzle of how and why quantum > systems appear to "collapse" into a definite state when measured—despite > being described by probabilistic wavefunctions before measurement. It's a > central philosophical issue in quantum theory. > > > > *Claim: Measurement Problem Is Not Unique to Quantum Mechanics* > > The statement argues that the measurement problem isn't just a quantum > issue—it already existed in classical physics. Here's how: > > - Classical Newtonian Physics is deterministic: given initial > conditions, the future is fully predictable. > - Yet, measurement in practice always involves uncertainty, noise, and > sampling limitations. > - This creates a tension: how can we reconcile perfect mathematical > determinism with imperfect real-world measurements? > > > > *Shannon’s Sampling Theorem Connection* > > Shannon’s sampling theorem (from information theory) states that to > perfectly reconstruct a signal, you must sample it at twice its highest > frequency (the Nyquist rate). If you sample incorrectly, you get > aliasing—distorted or misleading results. > > This implies: > > - Measurement is inherently tied to sampling rules. > - If you violate these rules, you misrepresent reality—even in > classical systems. > > > > *Cryo-EM’s Unexpected Link* > > Electron counting cameras in Cryo-EM are measurement devices. The claim is > that: > > - Their operation exposes fundamental limits of measurement—not just > technical ones, but philosophical ones. > - They highlight the need for symmetric sampling—meaning measurements > must be taken in a way that respects the underlying structure of the system > (e.g., time symmetry, spatial resolution). > > > > *Summary Interpretation* > > This passage is making a bold philosophical claim: > > - The measurement problem is universal—not just quantum. > - It arises from the gap between mathematical models and physical > reality. > - Cryo-EM, through its precision and reliance on electron counting, > reveals this gap in a tangible way. > - All measurements—whether in physics, biology, or information > theory—must obey sampling principles to avoid misrepresenting the system. > > > > > > *From:* CCP4 bulletin board <[email protected]> *On Behalf Of *Marin > van Heel > *Sent:* 04 October 2025 23:13 > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* [ccp4bb] Single Electron Counting, The Measurement Problem, > Symmetric Sampling > > > > You don't often get email from > [email protected]. Learn why this is important > <https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification> > > > > Dear All, > > Electron counting cameras in Cryo-EM have an unexpected direct connection > to the Measurement Problem in Quantum Mechanics. In fact, the measurement > problem already existed in Classical Newtonian Physics due to its > Deterministic Mathematical Axioms and is not specifically tied to Quantum > Mechanics. The Measurement Problem also existed in Shannon’s sampling > theorem. All measurements, and not only those in Electron Microscopy must > adhere to symmetric-sampling rules. Check the link to a series of papers: > > https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7379515419424022528/ > > Sorry, I know it is tough stuff… > > Marin > > > > > ------------------------------ > > To unsubscribe from the CCP4BB list, click the following link: > https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/WA-JISC.exe?SUBED1=CCP4BB&A=1 > This e-mail and any attachments may contain confidential, copyright and or > privileged material, and are for the use of the intended addressee only. If > you are not the intended addressee or an authorised recipient of the > addressee please notify us of receipt by returning the e-mail and do not > use, copy, retain, distribute or disclose the information in or attached to > the e-mail. 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