Modern physics is the framework of physical theories that have been developed since the early 20th century. It explores phenomena ranging from the very large, such as galactic clusters and the cosmological universe, to the very small, such as quarks and neutrinos. Modern physics uses a variety of approaches from classical mechanics, statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, relativity, particle physics, and field theory. As such, modern physics is an interdisciplinary field which can accommodate new developments and insights from the many areas of physics, mathematics, and related sciences. It has been characterised as the distinct scientific culture of the “fourth revolution” in physics.

See also: quantum physics, physical reality, scientific materialism, western enlightenment