TOP TEN PROBLEMS IN FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS

Abstract

In 1900 the world-renowned mathematician David Hilbert presented twenty-three problems at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Paris. These problems have inspired mathematicians throughout the last century. As a piece of millennial madness, all participants of the Strings 2000 Conference were invited to help formulate the ten most important unsolved problems in fundamental physics. Each participant was allowed to submit one candidate problem for consideration. To qualify, the problem must not only have been important but also well-defined and stated in a clear way. The best ten problems were selected at the end of the conference by a selection panel consisting of David Gross, Edward Witten and myself.