From the infinitely small to the infinitely big, covering over 60 spatial orders of magnitude, quantum theory is used as much to describe the still largely mysterious vibrations of the microscopic strings that could be the basic constituents of the Universe, as to explain the fluctuations of the microwave radiation reaching us from the depths of outer space. Serge Haroche tells us about the scientific theory that revolutionised our understanding of nature and made an extraordinary contribution to our means of acting on and gaining information about the world.
From the infinitely small to the infinitely big, covering over 60 spatial orders of magnitude, quantum theory is used as much to describe the still largely mysterious vibrations of the microscopic strings that could be the basic constituents of the Universe, as to explain the fluctuations of the microwave radiation reaching us from the depths of outer space. Serge Haroche tells us about the scientific theory that revolutionised our understanding of nature and made an extraordinary contribution to our means of acting on and gaining information about the world.
When Thought Experiments Become RealThe world is made of atoms which emit, absorb and scatter light, the crucial vehicle of the information we receive from our environment. At the beginning of the last century, quantum theory revealed the strange laws which govern matter and radiation on a microscopic scale, in a counter-intuitive world where notions of wave and particle are intimately intertwined.Light is both a continuous wave and a set of discrete photons! This “strange” physics is founde...
Mr Administrator,Dear colleagues,Ladies and gentlemen,“I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics”. This statement, made by physicist Richard Feynman, expresses a paradoxical truth about the scientific theory that revolutionised our understanding of Nature and made an extraordinary contribution to our means of acting on and gaining information about the world. In this lecture, I will discuss quantum physics with you by attempting to resolve this paradox. And if I don’...
The universe we live in is both strange and interesting. This strangeness comes about because, at the most fundamental level, the universe is governed by the laws of quantum mechanics. This is the most spectacularly accurate and powerful theory ever devised, one that has given us insights into many aspects of the world, from the structure of matter to the meaning of information. This textbook provides a comprehensive account of all things quantum. It starts by introducing the wavefunction and its interpretation as an ephemeral wave of complex probability, before delving into the mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics and exploring its diverse applications, from atomic physics and scattering, to quantum computing. Designed to be accessible, this volume is suitable for both students and researchers, beginning with the basics before progressing to more advanced topics.
The theoretical physics of a quantum mechanical model of space, relativistic quantum holography, is described. It specifies three dimensions, such as is validated by the nature of our spatial experience, but where additionally, quantum non-locality, which Feynman described as the only mystery of quantum theory, is made manifest by means of observable phase relationships. For example, synchronicity between events, and other phenomena such as are described by the geometric/Berry phase, etc., which are outside the bounds of classical explanation. It can therefore be hypothesized: a) that we live in a entirely quantum mechanical world/universe and not a classical mechanical one (where quantum phenomena are confined to the microscopic scale) as is the current generally held scientific view, b) that three spatial dimensions are a fundamental consequence of quantum mechanics, c) that quantum holography is a natural candidate to explain quantum gravity, such that mass/inertia concerns not the eigenvalues of some operator, but rather the observable gauge invariant phases of a state vector, postulated to be that of the universe itself, as a whole, and d) that this model provides a natural explanation in terms of relativistic quantum signal processing of any each individual’s perception and cognition will be of a three dimensional world, defined similarly in relation to each individual’s quantum state vector, describing its mind/body and associated gauge invariant phases or mindset, which have observable consequences, such that mental processes and events can cause neural events and processes! These testable hypotheses, if validated, will have profound implications for our understanding, radically changing our scientific perspective on the world, as we enter the new millennium.
The universe we live in is both strange and interesting. This strangeness comes about because, at the most fundamental level, the universe is governed by the laws of quantum mechanics. This is the most spectacularly accurate and powerful theory ever devised, one that has given us insights into many aspects of the world, from the structure of matter to the meaning of information. This textbook provides a comprehensive account of all things quantum. It starts by introducing the wavefunction and its interpretation as an ephemeral wave of complex probability, before delving into the mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics and exploring its diverse applications, from atomic physics and scattering, to quantum computing. Designed to be accessible, this volume is suitable for both students and researchers, beginning with the basics before progressing to more advanced topics.