I'm pretty tenacious when it comes to problems.

Understanding is, after all, what science is all about — and science is a great deal more than mindless computation.

our present picture of physical reality, particularly in relation to the nature of time, is due for a grand shake up

Do not be afraid to skip equations (I do this frequently myself).

Well, gauge theory is very fundamental to our understanding of physical forces these days. But they are also dependent on a mathematical idea, which has been around for longer than gauge theory has.

It is always the case, with mathematics, that a little direct experience of thinking over things on your own can provide a much deeper understanding than merely reading about them.

There are considerable mysteries surrounding the strange values that Nature's actual particles have for their mass and charge. For example, there is the unexplained 'fine structure constant' ... governing the strength of electromagnetic interactions.