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Nature 389, 127-129 (11 September 1997) | doi:10.1038/38130

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Quantum mechanics:  Statistics given a spin

Jason Twamley1

Any student of quantum mechanics will know the Pauli exclusion principle — it is simply that no two identical fermions (particles with half-integer spin) can occupy the same quantum state. The exclusion principle is the reason why everyday matter doesn't collapse.

  1. Jason Twamley is in the Theory and Laser Optics Groups, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College, London SW7 2BZ, UK.