Celebrity physicist in Linz

Nobel Prize winner causes a rush of students to the university

The lecture halls at Kepler University Linz were full to bursting during Anton Zeilinger's lecture(Bild: Pressefoto Scharinger/Daniel Scharinger)

The Johannes Kepler University in Linz has now achieved a minor sensation by recruiting a guest speaker. Physics superstar Anton Zeilinger agreed to give an exciting and easy-to-understand lecture on quantum physics to pupils from all over Upper Austria. The audience was thrilled.

With his lecture "A journey through the wonderful world of quanta", physics Nobel Prize winner Anton Zeilinger (79) was able to attract more than 300 pupils from all over Upper Austria and a total audience of over 1000 to Kepler University Linz on Wednesday. Seven lecture halls (streamed live) were filled to capacity.

The young people listened spellbound to the words of the scientist, who offered a highly entertaining, informative and amusing review of 100 years of quantum physics. Zeilinger's enthusiasm for his field of research visibly spread to those present. This was also reflected in the large number of questions that the students asked him afterwards.

For example, how did he come to study physics? "I had a teacher at grammar school who was incredibly inspiring," he said, explaining his choice of study and urging them to always remain curious.

Joy and effort
The 79-year-old later confessed to the "Krone" that such events give him a lot of pleasure, but also cost him energy. "I'm tired now," said Zeilinger.

He would prefer to relax with music and sailing. "We have a boat and a small house on Lake Traunsee."

Because he was born in Ried im Innkreis in 1945 and grew up in Upper Austria for the first two years of his life, he feels at home here. The roots of his father's branch of the family also lie here. "But I also feel at home in Lower Austria, Vienna, Tyrol and America, where I later lived everywhere."

Unfortunately, you can't explain quantum physics in just a few words. If someone asks me about it on the street, I recommend a book.

Nobelpreisträger Anton Zeilinger

PIXI book with Zeilinger
The Nobel Prize winner also enjoys the PIXI book for first-graders published last year, in which Zeilinger is the protagonist and a group of children set off on a hunt for "the smallest particles".

For the physicist, the Nobel Prize means that he is recognized everywhere. This sometimes causes time problems: "If someone takes a selfie, others want to do the same and then you can't get any further. But I don't want to disappoint anyone. It's nice when complete strangers are happy that you've won this prize."