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List of unsolved problems in physics

en.wikipedia.org Reference Encyclopedia entries Mathematics & science Candidate
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Resurfaced independently across 10 calendar years, with breakout response in 2 of them.

submissions
16
submitters
15
observed span
2012–2026
peak thread · 39 comments
119 pts
latest 20+ return · 2021-03-21
29 pts

Submission timeline

2007–2026

One slot for every year since HN launched. Height is that year's peak points; orange marks a 100+ point or 50+ comment breakout. Select a bar to open its strongest thread.

First comments on top threads

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Wikipedia has some interesting lists, including this one of a more general list of unsolved problems across many fields: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_unsolved_problems

The one (listed under other problems) which always struck me since the first time I heard it: "How does the quantum description of reality, which includes elements such as the superposition of states and wavefunction collapse or quantum decoherence, give rise to the reality we perceive? " I still vividly remember the first time I heard the "collapse of the wavefunction" and openly challenged our poor Solid-state electronics professor - it led to a looong discussion at the end of…

Some of these are not problems so much as they are proposed solutions to problems: > Dark flow: Is a non-spherically symmetric gravitational pull from outside the observable universe responsible for some of the observed motion of large objects such as galactic clusters in the universe? I'd like separate lists of the problems (observations that don't fit understanding) and proposed solutions (Dark matter, Dark flow, etc).

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12282932

chistev·4-point thread·

The first top-level comment from each of the four biggest threads, in HN’s own order. Excerpts are shortened; open a comment for full context.

Breakout years
2

100+ points or 50+ comments

Total points
280

reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking

Total comments
62

reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking

Every submission

DateTitle as submittedByPointsComments
2012-12-08List of unsolved problems in physicsgnosis10
2014-08-16List of Unsolved Problems in Physicsgusgordon10
2015-01-22List of Unsolved Problems in PhysicsFirst breakoutlukas10521
2015-07-08List of unsolved problems in Physicsmusically_ut10
2016-08-02List of Unsolved Problems in PhysicsThePhysicist20
2016-08-13List of unsolved problems in physicsBest threadKortaggio11939
2019-03-03Unsolved Problems in PhysicsHNLurker210
2019-07-04List of Unsolved Problems in Physicsalphagrep1234510
2020-06-01Unsolved Problems in Physicsroystonvassey10
2020-12-19List of Unsolved Problems in Physicsoptimalsolver20
2021-02-28List of Unsolved Problems in Physicsbald10
2021-03-21List of Unsolved Problems in PhysicsLatest 20+ point returnfireeyed290
2024-02-25List of Unsolved Problems in Physicsgreesil20
2024-09-26List of Unsolved Problems in Physicsthunderbong51
2025-12-23List of Unsolved Problems in Physicsthunderbong50
2026-05-02List of Unsolved Problems in Physicschistev41