Many, but not all, laws of physics have been broken over the centuries. Some are actively being broken right now, which is a good thing, because that means there’s more to learn about the universe.
What Are the Laws of Physics?
First off, the word “law” when it comes to physics has a bit of a loose definition, even among physicists. Sometimes the term applies to properties of the natural world that we have consistently observed to be true for a very long time. Sometimes the word is attached to fundamental ideas that form the bedrock of large, sprawling, complex theories of the cosmos. And sometimes it’s just a throwback term that doesn’t even apply anymore.
But no matter what, keep this important fact in mind: all knowledge in science, up to and including the most important laws, is provisional. It’s all based on the evidence. If the evidence changes, then we update our knowledge of physics, tearing down laws if we have to, and move on. That’s how we progress in our knowledge and become ever more sophisticated in our understanding of nature. That’s the most fun part of physics: We always get to learn new things.
