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John Ellis UK Theoretical physicist, great believer in the pile-of-paper system
Do you know the Theory of Everything?
“Theoretical physicists come up with experiments and models which are then put to the test by the particle accelerator. The ‘Theory of Everything’, ie a formula that would explain all physical phenomena, is the holy grail of theoretical physics. I don’t know whether it will be discovered in my lifetime or later. I’ve been working for CERN since 1973 and have twice been in charge of the Theoretical Physics Department, a highly intelligent group of people dealing with the universe’s most complex problems. It’s like herding cats. They all want to set out on their own. But that’s fine. I’ve made sure the basic framework is in place and that everyone can get on with their work. My motto has always been, ‘A good boss is invisible’. I still like working with a pencil, paper and notebook. As soon as I get up, I start ploughing my way through the latest scientific publications; today, for example, there was a paper from China about superluminal neutrinos. Then I think about what I’ve read when I’m in the shower. One subject I’m very taken with at the moment is supersymmetry, a theory that could explain the universe’s dark matter.” 38