The Pauli Effect refers to the mysterious failure of technical equipment in the presence of certain people, particularly theoretical physicists. It is named after the famous theoretical physicist Wolfgang Pauli.
The Pauli Effect, a so-called macro-psychokinetic phenomenon, is not to be confused with the Pauli exclusion principle, which is a bona fide physical phenomenon. Wolfgang Pauli was convinced of the reality of this effect named after him. His intimate colleague Markus Fierz explains: "Pauli himself thoroughly believed in his effect." [Enz, p. 150] This is the reason why he proposed the inclusion of parapsychology into physics.
Since the 20th century, the work of physics research has been divided between "theorists" and "experimentalists" (see scientific method). Only a few physicists, such as Fermi, have been successful in both roles. Lacking skill and experience in experimental work, many theorists have earned a reputation for accidentally breaking experimental equipment.
Pauli was exceptional in this regard; it was said that he was such a good theorist that any experiments would self-destruct simply due to his presence. For fear of the Pauli Effect, the German-American experimental physicist Otto Stern banned Pauli from his laboratory, despite their friendship.
A famous incident was, when once in a physics laboratory at the University of Göttingen, an expensive measurement device went out of order, for no apparent reason. Obviously, the head of the research group concluded, they fell victim to the Pauli effect. However, somebody else countered, Pauli was known to be on his way to Zurich, so this was impossible. When telling the story later to Pauli, he recalled that he indeed was waiting at that very moment at the Göttingen main station for his connection train.
Related publications
- Enz, Charles, P. (2002): No Time to be Brief, A scientific biography of Wolfgang Pauli, Oxford Univ. Press.
External links
Last updated: 05-07-2005 13:44:29
Last updated: 09-12-2005 02:39:13
