Scientists just 'solved' quantum mechanics by realizing that atoms actually behave exactly like a flowing liquid.
March 27, 2026
Original Paper
The Maxwell class exact solutions to the Schrödinger equation and continuum mechanics models
arXiv · 2603.25433
The Takeaway
The Schrödinger equation is the core of quantum physics but is notoriously difficult to solve exactly without rough approximations. This paper uses the math of gas and fluid flow to find a new set of exact solutions, revealing a surprising mathematical harmony between the quantum world and the large-scale physics of fluids.
From the abstract
By applying the nonlinear Legendre transform to the continuity equation, this paper derives exact solutions to the Schrödinger equation and the equations of continuum mechanics. A generalized Maxwell distribution has been used as the momentum density function. Explicit expressions for the vector fields of time independent flows, density distributions, quantum and classical potentials have been found, and a detailed mathematical and physical analysis of the results obtained has been carried out.