The Superflux Blog

The title of this post is inspired from the famous Schrödinger thought experiment. A cat is placed in a sealed box with some poison, whether the poison is released or not is controlled by a random ‘quantum event’ such as radioactive decay. In the experiment, the cat must be simultaneously both dead and alive until the box is opened and the cat is observed.

The reason for mentioning the cat-in-the-box experiment is that we are currently working on a very exciting project exploring ‘Quantum Futures’ and what Quantum computing tells us about the nature of universe. Super-challenging-brain-bending physics.

Energy and matter exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties.

The project is a collaboration with scientists from Oxford University, as part of EPSRC’s IMPACT project, to make science open for public engagement and debate.

Our Quantum World
At a molecular level the world is very different from the way we experience it. For instance, particles may become entangled and exhibit what Einstein called spooky action at a distance. Or a particle can be in a superposition where it is in all possible states simultaneously. These concepts are presented as abstract mathematical equations like this one. While all this may seem bit far removed from everyday reality, we know that abstract mathematical equations (eg. E=mc2) can have profound real world implications. (the atom bomb)

So how will these mathematical equations of quantum mechanics be harnessed? This idea has captivated the imagination of scientists for decades, and they are now attempting to build a machine – a ‘quantum computer’ - that captures the strangeness of the atomic and sub-atomic world to perform tasks practically impossible with conventional technology.

A Quantum Computer in the making (image credit: nanotech.physics.ox.ac.uk)

What might the wider implications of such a machine be? One dystopian scenario could be an information arms race where governments rush to create code breaking machines that will lay bear the secrets of competing nations. A cold war, where the threat of pushing ‘the button’ is replaced with the taping of keys. Or maybe a brighter future awaits where quantum computation allows such complex molecular modeling, that we can instantly deal with any threat of pandemics. And perhaps, by doing so, create a world where the fear of infectious diseases is a thing of the past.

However, beyond all this lies an even more pertinent question: What does quantum computing tell us about the underling nature of the universe? Are we inhabiting just one of an infinite number of parallel worlds as proposed by David Deutsch? And if so, what does that say about our place in existence?

We hope to find out, so watch this space.