Posted on 04/18/2024 6:40:51 PM PDT by Jyotishi
Opinion
The scientific community celebrated April 14 as World Quantum Day to raise awareness of quantum science’s impact across diverse fields
The world of science is on the cusp of a transformative era driven by the burgeoning field of quantum technology. Quantum science is founded on several key principles that underpin the behaviour of particles and systems at the quantum scale.
The term “quantum scale” refers to the realm of physics that deals with phenomena occurring at very small scales, typically at the level of atoms, subatomic particles and fundamental particles. It encompasses the principles of quantum mechanics, which govern the behaviour of particles and systems at these tiny dimensions. At the heart of quantum technology lies the principles of quantum mechanics, a branch of physics that describes the behaviour of particles at the smallest scales. Quantum mechanics introduces uncertainty and the notion of superposition, where particles can exist in multiple States simultaneously. Furthermore, entanglement, another fundamental quantum phenomenon, links the properties of particles regardless of distance, enabling instantaneous communication between them. These counterintuitive phenomena, once relegated to the realm of theory, are now being harnessed to create groundbreaking technologies with the potential to revolutionise numerous fields. India has a long and rich history in quantum science. Pioneering work by Satyendra Nath Bose on quantum statistics laid the groundwork for many modern quantum technologies, including Bose-Einstein condensation, quantum superconductivity and quantum information theory.
Over the past few decades, advancements in quantum science have surged, laying the groundwork for a new era characterised by unparalleled computational power, secure communication and transformative applications across various sectors. One of the most captivating applications of quantum mechanics is the development of quantum computers. These machines leverage the power of superposition to perform calculations exponentially faster than traditional computers. By manipulating qubits (quantum bits) that can be 0, 1, or both simultaneously, quantum computers can explore a vast array of possibilities concurrently. This unparalleled processing power holds immense promise for drug discovery, where simulating complex molecules can accelerate the development of life-saving medications.
Another revolutionary application of quantum technology is in secure communication. Quantum key distribution (QKD) utilises the principles of quantum mechanics to establish secure cryptographic keys between parties. By encoding information into the quantum States of particles and leveraging entanglement properties, QKD ensures that any attempt to intercept or eavesdrop on the communication would disturb the quantum State, thereby alerting the parties involved.
Quantum cryptography safeguards sensitive information in critical areas like financial transactions, national security communications and protecting intellectual property.
By exploiting the extreme sensitivity of quantum systems to minute changes, scientists are developing sensors capable of detecting the subtlest variations in magnetic fields, gravity and temperature. This has profound implications for medical imaging, where ultra-high-resolution MRIs can provide detailed analyses of tissues and organs, aiding in early disease detection and personalised medicine. In navigation, quantum sensors can lead to more precise GPS and navigation systems, which are crucial for autonomous vehicles and various scientific endeavours. The Government of India, under the Department of Science and Technology, has initiated the National Quantum Mission (NQM), which aims to harness the transformative potential of quantum technology to address national challenges and foster innovation.
(The writer is an adjunct faculty at the National Institute of Advanced Studies; views are personal)
I am looking forward to owning my first Schrödinger’s cat!
“Schrödinger’s cat”
Every pet cat is one because it exists in multiple states of being owned by a feline, and by a human, and by owning the human.
The most obvious product of Quantum Mechanics is the Transistor. That became the Integrated Circuit. That eventually led to the Internet which has been frustrating Leftists who want us to believe in their fantasy narratives .
I am looking forward to owning my first Schrödinger’s cat!
I own two except one is dead and I can’t tell
which one it is !!!
There’s a good Nova documentary on Quantum Entanglement that I watched a number of years ago. Among other things, it gets into the data transmission security aspects (e.g., satellite). And the lengths the scientists go to perfect the conditions for analysis is nothing short of amazing.
Just you wait, Gurgle and AI will likely take care of that issue.
Science promises all these new toys when in reality we’re headed towards a over-crowded toxic garbage dump ruled by nazis.
Yes, you are right about the transistor just btw.
They may say it is, but I don’t think any communication is secure anymore.
Hmmm. Yes.
But don’t forget the internet cats, they will out breed and replace the mammalian ones...
Mover over Rocketeer, here I come!!!
Quantum entanglement also poses profound questions about the nature of the universe in that it makes consciousness a real and independent aspect of existence. As the great German physicist Max Planck explained, “I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything that we regard as existing, postulates consciousness.”
It just may be happening that quantum calcs are already going on in our wetware. If you really want your mind blown with the possibilities see a fascinating article Consciousness, Cognition and the Neuronal Cytoskeleton – A New Paradigm Needed in Neuroscience. Wild stuff.
(It will take a while to get through it. The main impression for me was that there are still lots of things going on in this world that have yet to be precisely described ;-)
bump
If you fully buy in to the notion of quantum entanglement, then everything is connected to everything else for all eternity forward and back in all available dimensions since all that is was a dot, a singularity if you will, of metaphysical and mathematical cotagentcy at the moment of the Big Bang and was one all-encompassing quantum soliton wavefunction of everything. In other words, it’s all connected because it never really disconnected in the first place.
Summary: send more consumable energy, or its mathematical abstraction, money. The alien intelligence enabled scientist that figures out how to cheaply cause atoms to self-destruct at will, will become the richest man in history over the following 20-year patent run, China exempted.
That however, contradicted quantum mechanics microcausality. Preskill thus argued that quantum mechanics requires that the information emitted by a black hole must relate to information that fell in at an earlier time. This in turn meant that the view of black holes under general relativity must be modified in some way.
In 2004, Hawking conceded the bet because he came to believe that black hole horizons fluctuate and leak information, even if in garbled form that is incomprehensible. Hawking gave Preskill a copy of Total Baseball, The Ultimate Baseball Encyclopedia. Thorne, however, declined to concede the bet, and physicists remain divided.
As for quantum entanglement, for our purposes, even if everything is always connected, that does not mean that we can access the information. In almost all instances, the information is lost to us because any once related particles have lost their coherence. Indeed, a quantum computer has to be isolated from outside influences in order to work.
The article is a non-technical quantum mechanics description.
Like all science articles written for the mass audience, it begins with the obligatory snazzy picture.
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