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The Conversation ·For the curious

100 Years Ago, Schrödinger’s Equation Shed Light on Quantum Physics – Scientists Use It Today to Fine-tune Chemical Reactions

by Sophya Garashchuk, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina

Published 2026-10-01 12:42:20+00:00

How do you design predictable materials out of atoms that behave like unpredictable waves?

0:00 / 7:43 · Narrator Sulafat

Context

Published on 1 October 2026, this piece from The Conversation pauses on a quiet shift in how science uses quantum mechanics. A century after Erwin Schrödinger wrote down his famous equation, the math is no longer just a theoretical puzzle for physicists. It has become a practical engineering tool. By tracking how individual hydrogen atoms behave, chemists can tweak the reactions that turn plant matter into liquid fuel. The article steps past the usual philosophical debates about quantum weirdness to look at a highly concrete problem: how to build better materials from the atom up.

Show notes

An explanation of how chemists use Schrödinger’s wave equation to predict molecular behavior before testing reactions in the lab. The text outlines the mathematical limits of modeling large molecules and details how tracking quantum effects, like tunneling, helps researchers develop better biofuels and solar cells.

Read on The Conversation →