Natural Philosophy of Photons: On the Nature of Electromagnetic Waves and Photonic Information
XIAOMING LI
This paper reviews humanity's understanding of the photon, the evolution of quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics (QED), and analyzes their physical interpretations and philosophical implications. It seeks to elucidate the true nature of the photon by examining the possibility of hidden variables in the double-slit experiment. The wave-particle duality of the photon, as posited by quantum mechanics, appears to me to be less than entirely convincing. By designing a thought experiment involving a photon double-slit setup, I aim to refute the notion that photons generate Coherence, or so-called wave-function superposition, within the light field between the slits and the screen. This endeavour aims to demonstrate the pure particle nature of photons. Furthermore, by examining the wavelength of electromagnetic waves, this paper explores the intrinsic relationship between electromagnetic waves and photons, positing that electromagnetic waves are fundamentally pure particle-waves. Analysis of QED elucidates the potential influence of photon momentum on photon interactions, an effect that may profoundly impact quantum information transmission. To comprehensively describe the mathematical model of photon queues, this paper introduces the concept of a photon train. This metaphor likens photons travelling through space to a train in motion. The distance between carriages is denoted by (d), representing the wavelength of the photon。 Within the "particle train" model of the photon queue, the wavelength λ is defined as the distance d between adjacent photons. This yields a structural equivalence between wavelength and photon spacing: ; . The longer the wavelength (smaller f), the greater the distance d between photons (corresponding to radio waves, where photons are "sparsely" dispersed). The shorter the wavelength (larger f), the closer the distance d between photons (corresponding to X-rays or γ-rays, where photons are "focused"). f represents the frequency of light. In standard physics, frequency is typically defined as the number of oscillations of an electromagnetic field per unit time, expressed by the relationship: . This is directly linked to the energy of a photon. However, although mathematically and experimentally complete, this definition obscures the intuitive informational structure of frequency. In this paper, we introduce a longitudinally structured interpretation: viewing frequency as the manifestation of "front-to-back density" or "longitudinal spacing" of light quanta along their propagation direction. This understanding does not replace the standard physical definition but operates in parallel to reveal frequency's deeper significance in energy transmission and information organization. For simplicity, we denote this approach as the "photon queue/longitudinal serialization (PQ/LS) model". PQ/LS denotes the theoretical framework of the photon queue model. A thought experiment on the conversion rate of quantum information into biological information reveals that, under identical light intensity (equivalent total energy input), the response of living systems is not solely determined by the 𝐼, but strongly depends on the spatial arrangement of the photon queue (where λ approximates the inter-photon distance).Bacterial-level matching of visible-light queues achieves the highest information-transmission efficiency (maximum mutual information and signal-to-noise ratio), thereby enabling dual optimization of energy utilization and rhythmic synchronization. This constitutes the core prediction of the model (PQ/LS): frequency (queue spacing), rather than total power (𝐼) alone, determines the conversion efficiency of quantum information into biological information. The paper explores the non-wave-particle duality of photons through double-slit experiments and double-slit observer experiments. The essence of photons is purely particle-like. The thought experiment of the photon double-slit is pivotal in demonstrating that photons, like other particles such as electrons, atoms, and macromolecules, are purely particle-like. In space, photons can interfere with each other's paths based on their momentum. This can simultaneously alter the trajectory and even the velocity of photons. That is, a photon beam with higher momentum may carry a portion with lower momentum, allowing it to propagate over vast distances. The wavelength of a light wave is fundamentally the distance between consecutive photons as they propagate through space. The longer the wavelength of a light wave, the greater the distance between successive photons, causing them to diverge more widely in space, as observed with radio waves. Conversely, shorter wavelengths result in closer distances between photons, leading to denser emission and highly directional propagation, exemplified by gamma rays. Photons within the visible-light spectrum may occasionally transmit information that carries specific content. This information, conveyed through light quanta, can propagate over distances ranging from several metres to thousands of kilometres. The essence of light quanta: particle queues (PQ/LS) and the profound meaning of frequency: light is fundamentally a sequence of light quanta (photons) advancing in spatial order. Regardless of whether the propagation path is straight or curved, the propagation maintains this queued formation, akin to a continuous jet of water. Within this model (PQ/LS), the wavelength λ of light observed macroscopically fundamentally represents the average distance between successive light quanta. The frequency f (or ν) is inversely proportional to this distance: the closer two light quanta are, the higher the frequency f; the greater the distance, the lower the frequency f. It can be expressed through the classical wave velocity formula: c=fλ. Within the visible spectrum, λ≈0.5×10⁻⁶ metres (500 nanometres). Remarkably, this distance corresponds precisely to the typical dimensions of bacteria (approximately 0.5–5 micrometres). The evolutionary tree of life takes bacteria as its root, while the wavelength of visible light—the fundamental scale for human vision and quantum information interaction—aligns exactly with this root-level dimension. As the product of billions of years of bacterial evolution, our human perception, communication, and even consciousness may possess an intrinsic connection to this "bacterial-scale" queue distance of light quanta. Philosophically, this unification reveals a grander picture: the frequency-distance relationship of the light quantum queue (PQ/LS) not only determines the magnitude of physical energy but also bridges the quantum realm with the origins of life. The evolution of human vision, which aligns precisely with this "bacterial-scale" dimension, suggests that our perceptual systems are rooted in life's most primordial mode of information exchange. As an information carrier, light transforms energy (E = hf) into biological signals, genetic expression, and even the emergence of consciousness—from photons stimulating retinal cells to potential quantum biological processes (such as quantum coherence in photosynthesis or brain microtubules), light weaves an information network between the microscopic and macroscopic realms. Bacterial circadian rhythms, particularly the KaiABC system in cyanobacteria, function as living fossils: they document how visible light quantum queues (PQ/LS) were transformed into ordered biological information programmes during life's earliest stages. This experimental finding not only validates the functional significance of scale consistency but illuminates the earliest step in the evolutionary path from light to meaning—within the unicellular world, light ceased to be mere energy, becoming instead the language of time and the rhythm of information. The relatively poor correlation between archaea and most bacteria in circadian rhythms and responses to visible light, from another perspective, suggests that archaea and bacteria did not originate on Earth but rather within protoplanetary discs or planetesimals. These archaea and bacteria can survive in the harshest natural environments, unaffected by Earth's 24-hour circadian rhythms or visible light. It further substantiates my published theory that life did not originate on Earth. From the bacterial scale to the scale of consciousness: information density remains operative. Within the Photon Quantum Queue Model (PQ/LS), the wavelength of visible light (~0.5 μm interphoton spacing) aligns remarkably with the bacterial scale, suggesting that the informational "foundation" of life's origin is set by the interphoton spacing. As we ascend from single-celled bacteria (scale 0.5–5 μm) to multicellular organisms, nervous systems, and ultimately human consciousness (neuronal scale ~10–100 μm, brain as a whole ~0.1 m), a central question emerges: does this information density, originating from the photon quantum distance, continue to operate at higher scales, bridging microscopic origins with macroscopic awareness? From bacteria to conscious scales: Implications of information density for SETI and the search for extraterrestrial life. An intuitive interpretation of light's nature: Mainstream quantum electrodynamics (QED) views photons as quantum field excitations, where wavelength λ represents the phase oscillation scale associated with a single photon, not the physical distance between multiple photons. This theory deliberately adopts a semi-classical "particle queue" image, directly correlating λ with the average distance between adjacent photons. While not strictly valid in weak-light or single-photon experiments, the theory challenges the orthodoxy that "wavelength is solely a property of individual photons." The theory's stance can be summarized as one of maximizing continuity and wholeness within strict scientific boundaries. Our challenge lies in rejecting the compartmentalization of the quantum realm, the origins of life,
•Feb 11, 2026•0 citations