Max Planck appeared on the scene

 

           By the end of 19th century, physics seemed to be in its final stages of development. At the time it was believed that there were no phenomena that could not explained using classical theory -Newtonian dynamics or Maxwells electrodynamics. Only the problems of blackbody radiation and the atom remained unsolved.

         

           After graduating from school with highest honors, the young Planck became a professor at Kiel University in 1885. He soon established himself as the leading authority on thermodynamics, but he had yet to make the great discovery that would set the world on the edge. He plodded along in the research until, he solved the problem of of black body radiation. That achievement suddenly thrust him into the highest ranks of the world of physics.

          Neverthless, he was not satisfied with his results. The hypothesis he had constructed turned out to be an apparent anomaly that could not be explained by the classical theory that was the bedrock of his scientific assumptions. Disturbed by the implications of his work on black body radiation, he redid his calculations over and over again. Every time , the results pointed to the same hypothesis. It was the only possible explanation.

              No one, not even Planck himself, could have imagined that this would open the door to quantum mechanics. 😃