Real Quanta How the World of Particles Is Becoming More and More Commonplace

Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr walk into the famous Hotel Métropole and sit down at the author's table to discuss the state of quantum mechanics today. Particles that exist in two places at once, consequences that occur without a cause, objects that exist only if you look at them — quantum mechanics proves that all of this is possible, and not just in dark science labs. Look no further than your smartphone or tablet for technology made conceivable by quantum theory. From quantum computers to "teleporting" data, medicine to photosynthesis and the quantum compass in some migratory birds, Martijn van Calmthout plainly explains — to his readers and to an astounded Einstein and Bohr — how Quantum 2.0 is increasingly part of everyone's daily life. Rather than being the exceptional domain, Van Calmthout shows how quantum mechanics is actually part of our tangible world, and may even be the very crux of our existence. "Quantum mechanics seems to be just about as weird as physics can get. Particles that are waves. That can be in several places at once. That can be affected by what happens to each other when they are miles apart, not just close by. And Schrödinger's cat that is both alive and dead until somebody looks at it. They sound like stories from a distant, alien world. But nothing could be further from the truth. In Real Quanta, science journalist Martijn van Calmthout makes it crystal clear that quantum magic has now extended its scope way beyond isolated laboratories and complex experiments. The quantum has become real, perfectly normal. The strange thing is that we still pay so little attention to it. In the contemporary world, Real Quanta pictures the physicists Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr sitting down at the famous Hotel Métropole in Brussels, where they had their legendary disputes about quantum mechanics, and taking stock of how their theories have developed since then."-- Provide by publisher Annotation "Quantum mechanics seems to be just about as weird as physics can get. Particles that are waves. That can be in several places at once. That can be affected by what happens to each other when they are miles apart, not just close by. And Schrödinger's cat that is both alive and dead until somebody looks at it. They sound like stories from a distant, alien world. But nothing could be further from the truth. In Real Quanta, science journalist Martijn van Calmthout makes it crystal clear that quantum magic has now extended its scope way beyond isolated laboratories and complex experiments. The quantum has become real, perfectly normal. The strange thing is that we still pay so little attention to it. In the contemporary world, Real Quanta pictures the physicists Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr sitting down at the famous Hotel Métropole in Brussels, where they had their legendary disputes about quantum mechanics, and taking stock of how their theories have developed since then." Annotation Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr walk into the famous Hotel Métropole and sit down at the author's table to discuss the state of quantum mechanics today.Particles that exist in two places at once, consequences that occur without a cause, objects that exist only if you look at them -- quantum mechanics proves that all of this is possible, and not just in dark science labs. Look no further than your smartphone or tablet for technology made conceivable by quantum theory.From quantum computers to "teleporting" data, medicine to photosynthesis and the quantum compass in some migratory birds, Martijn van Calmthout plainly explains -- to his readers and to an astounded Einstein and Bohr -- how Quantum 2.0 is increasingly part of everyone's daily life. Rather than being the exceptional domain, Van Calmthout shows how quantum mechanics is actually part of our tangible world, and may even be the very crux of our existence "Particles that exist in two places at once, consequences that occur without a cause, objects that exist only if you look at them -- quantum mechanics proves that all of this is possible, and not just in dark science labs. Look no further than your smartphone or tablet for technology made conceivable by quantum theory. From quantum computers to "teleporting" data, medicine to photosynthesis and the quantum compass in some migratory birds, Martijn van Calmthout plainly explains -- to his readers and to an astounded Einstein and Bohr -- how Quantum 2.0 is increasingly part of everyone's daily life. Rather than being the exceptional domain, Van Calmthout shows how quantum mechanics is actually part of our tangible world, and may even be the very crux of our existence."--Back cover It sounds alien and esoteric, but quantum mechanics is very real, and a crucial part of what makes the modern world possible. In Real Quanta, Martijn van Calmthout makes quantum "magic" clearer, and shows how it fits into our world, and how its discoverers would be amazed by all that it has accomplished.