“To resolve the discrepancy between waves of probability and our commonsense notion of existence, Bohr and Heisenberg assumed that after a measurement is made by an outside observer, the wave function magically “collapses,” and the electron falls into a definitestate—that is, after looking at the tree, we see that it is truly standing. In other words, the process of observation determines the final state of the electron. Observation is vital to existence.”

American theoretical physicist, science communicator, futurologist, and writer of popular science

Michio Kaku is an American theoretical physicist, science communicator, futurologist, and popular science writer. He is a professor of theoretical physics at the City College of New York and the CUNY Graduate Center. He has written several books on physics and related subjects, and he is a familiar presence in radio, television, and film. He also writes regularly for his own blog and for other popular media outlets. In 2021, he received the Sir Arthur Clarke Lifetime Achievement Award for work that helped connect science and science fiction.