I'm convinced that even if someone did prove that a basic assumption of modern physics is wrong, it would automatically be assumed in turn that the author is a

I'm convinced that even if someone did prove that a basic assumption of modern physics is wrong, it would automatically be assumed in turn that the author is a crackpot Well, since 100% of "proofs" that the basic assumptions of modern physics are wrong over the last century have, in fact, come from crackpots it's a pretty good working assumption. I'm convinced that the physics community isn't interested in the slightest in new ideas. Uhh, nope, the physics community is extremely interested in new ideas. We sit around generating 'em all the time. We're not especially interested in outsiders who come to us with claims that they've proved some fundamental physics result, though, for the same reason that we're not particularly interested in Nigerian princes who email us offering us millions of dollars in return for assistance in moving money out of the country: those things just tend to have a ridiculously high failure rate. If I weren't interested in new ideas, why the fuck would I be a physicist? For the chicks? If ever someone bearing all the hallmarks of a crackpot does come up with a fundamental new advance in physics, though, I'm convinced that this will eventually bubble to the surface. No such luck for the real Nigerian prince though. As an example to how bad things have become in the realm of physics, it's safe to say that the vast majority of thinking adults believe that black holes exist, because so much major media has told them so. But when you look deeper you find that there's no definitive evidence Sure. That's also true if you replace "black holes" by "zebras". Do zebras exist? I've never seen one! I mean, I have, but it could easily have been a carefully dyed horse. I think the level of evidence for black holes is not quite as strong as the evidence for zebras, but I think it's reasonably congruent with the level of confidence among physicists that they exist.