Particle physicists know plenty about frustration. For 30 years they have known the exact form and origin of the force that binds fundamental particles called quarks into protons, neutrons, and myriad other particles. Yet the theory of that "strong force" is so complicated mat researchers have struggled to perform many basic calculations, such as precisely accounting for the mass of the proton. For theoretical physicists, it's as if they have a theory that proves 5 plus 5 equals an even number, but no way of calculating whether that number is 10 or 12.
展开▼
