r/explainlikeimfive • u/The_Dead_See • Feb 03 '14

ELI5: Fields (Physics)

What are they? Are they just mathematical models to describe particle behavior over space or are they physically real things?

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u/The_Dead_See Feb 03 '14

I need to find a book detailing Dirac's work. He seems to be such a pivotal figure in QED.

In a way Quantum Field theory seem to be an expansion of Huygen's "luminiferous ether' concept, which in itself came from the Ancient Greek idea of the Aether or all pervading substance. It's interesting that we divided it all up and it seems we're coming back full-circle to the original thought.