Any Classical Description of Nature Requires Classical Electromagnetic Zero-Point Radiation

TL;DR

This paper argues that classical physics, when including Lorentz-invariant electromagnetic zero-point radiation, can explain phenomena typically attributed to quantum physics, challenging the exclusive quantum interpretation.

Contribution

It provides an overview of classical electromagnetic theory with zero-point radiation and compares its explanations to quantum physics, highlighting areas of overlap and divergence.

Findings

Classical zero-point radiation accounts for Casimir forces.

Classical theory explains phenomena usually attributed to quantum physics.

Both classical and quantum theories involve Planck's constant h.

Abstract

Any attempt to describe nature within classical physics requires the presence of Lorentz-invariant classical electromagnetic zero-point radiation so as to account for the Casimir forces between parallel conducting plates at low temperatures. However, this zero-point radiation also leads to classical explanations for a number of phenomena which are usually regarded as requiring quantum physics. Here we provide a cursory overview of the classical electromagnetic theory which includes classical zero-point radiation, and we note the areas of agreement and disagreement between the classical and quantum theories, both of which contain Planck's constant h.