[Draft 1-6-2025 see comments for updates] Yeah, quantum physics is weird. What might be called Weirdness 1.0 (QM), 1.1 (QED), 1.2 (QCD), etc., as I’ve written about, have embedded frozen tropes in the popular psyche. But can’t we do better? When physicists talk about analogies – use everyday language (terms) to talk about the quantum… Continue reading Advancing QFT visualization – further demystification?
Here’s a possible story which helps demystify quantum field theory. A personal visualization, which stays within the bounds of spacetime and avoids needless paradoxes. There are two key concepts to my sketch: the Grid and a quantum’s tail. This post lays out the second idea, namely, a quantum’s tail.
Here’s a possible story which helps demystify quantum field theory. A personal visualization, which stays within the bounds of spacetime and avoids needless paradoxes. There are two key concepts to my sketch: the Grid and a quantum’s tail. This post lays out the first idea, namely, the Grid.
This post is about my ongoing physics research project. To tell a story (perhaps literally) which conceptually unpacks quantum field theory. That is, to develop a framework which: visualizes Wilczek’s Grid (discussed in other posts) and demystifies the historical tropes of quantum mechanics.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Alice & Bob et al. measure quantum states & wonder about predicting outcomes. In continuous quantum fields, localized disturbances (excitations) interact and exchange energy between fields – as real outcomes. “We suppress dimensions in order to make sense of things.” Modeling interactions of excitations with vacuum states of quantum fields gets weird.… Continue reading Reckoning quanta, quantum events – nostalgia for absoluteness?
[“Quantum foundations” series] TABLE OF CONTENTS QUANTUM FIELD THEORY (QFT) LANDSCAPE Some recent articles prompted me to further explore (revisit once again, eh) some key features of quantum field theory (QFT). Without grasping all the esoteric math. As noted in a prior post (“QFT – How many fields are there?“), not all physicists tally these… Continue reading QFT – fields and wave packets
So, occasionally I run across articles which mention quantum dots; but more frequently I notice this technology promoted in higher quality flat screen displays and TVs. Photo-luminescent nanotechnology. This Phys.org article (below) reminds me that the technology is critical in quantum information processing, e.g., quantum computing. And as Wiki notes, modeling quantum dots showcases the… Continue reading Quantum dots – not just for TVs
[Communicating science series] [Draft] Communicating science is more important that ever in this era. Elsewhere I’ve posted various visualizations, including Online Video, which convey physics concepts at different levels of difficulty. And I continue to seek better visualizations of quantum field theory, demonstrating the disconnect from our everyday experience while using metaphors which avoid (to… Continue reading Quantum physics myths – communicating science
Ask people on the street “What are X-rays?” and you’ll likely get a variety of replies. About medical and dental X-rays. Stories about Superman’s X-ray vision. (Why does lead block X-rays?) Invisible particles that allow us to see through stuff. Technical explanations about electromagnetic radiation. So, street surveys typically reveal levels of understanding, which I’ll… Continue reading Levels of understanding – what are X-rays?
Today’s post is somewhat different than usual. I’m highlighting a YouTube channel. Communicating science to a general audience has a long history. The bibliography for my physics blog contains some books by authors to this purpose. Modern physics has many great stories, and the just plain strangeness of quantum physics lends itself to great storytelling.… Continue reading Communicating what physics says — The Science Asylum
