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What is Schrödinger’s Cat and why is it important?

By Michael Alan Prestwood

Author and Natural Philosopher

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What is Schrödinger’s Cat and why is it important?

Schrödinger’s Cat is a famous thought experiment in quantum mechanics. Imagine a cat inside a box with a vial of poison triggered by a quantum event. Until we open the box, the cat is both alive and dead at the same time—a paradox meant to highlight the weirdness of quantum theory.

This thought experiment challenges the idea of wavefunction collapse—the idea that quantum possibilities exist in superposition until observed. It also fuels debate about the many-worlds interpretation, where instead of one outcome happening, reality splits—one universe where the cat lives, another where it dies.

Why is this important? It shows how quantum mechanics breaks our classical intuition—suggesting that observation might shape reality itself.

Without knowing if the cat is dead or alive, you can think of it as both dead and alive at the same time, or you can think of it as potential. The cat is potentially dead or alive. If both at the same time, maybe the multiverse exists.
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