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Alternate quantum realities: what if Heisenberg stayed at home?

30 avril 2025 à 11:07

In this episode of Physics World Stories, writer Kevlin Henney discusses his new flash fiction, Heisenberg (not) in Helgoland – written exclusively for Physics World as part of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. The story spans two worlds: the one we know, and an alternate reality in which Werner Heisenberg never visits the island of Helgoland – a trip that played a key role in the development of quantum theory.

Henney reads an extract from the piece and reflects on the power of flash fiction – why the format’s brevity and clarity make it an interesting space for exploring complex ideas. In conversation with host Andrew Glester, he also discusses his varied career as an independent software consultant, trainer and writer. Tune in to hear his thoughts on quantum computing, and why there should be greater appreciation for how modern physics underpins the technologies we use every day.

The full version of Henney’s story will be published in the Physics World Quantum Briefing 2025 – a free-to-read digital issue launching in May. Packed with features on the history, mystery and applications of quantum mechanics, it will be available via the Physics World website.

The image accompanying this article is Werner Heisenberg in 1933 (Credit: German Federal Archive with posterised version by James Dacey/Physics World) CC-BY-SA 3.0

On 13–14 May, The Economist is hosting Commercialising Quantum Global 2025 in London. The event is supported by the Institute of Physics – which brings you Physics World. Participants will join global leaders from business, science and policy for two days of real-world insights into quantum’s future. In London you will explore breakthroughs in quantum computing, communications and sensing, and discover how these technologies are shaping industries, economies and global regulation. Register now and use code QUANTUM20 to receive 20% off. This offer ends on 4 May.

The post Alternate quantum realities: what if Heisenberg stayed at home? appeared first on Physics World.

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AI and the future of physics

Physics World

Par :James Dacey · Physics World

24 mars 2025 à 10:24

Artificial intelligence is transforming physics at an unprecedented pace. In the latest episode of Physics World Stories, host Andrew Glester is joined by three expert guests to explore AI’s impact on discovery, research and the future of the field.

Tony Hey, a physicist who worked with Richard Feynman and Murray Gell-Mann at Caltech in the 1970s, shares his perspective on AI’s role in computation and discovery. A former vice-president of Microsoft Research Connections, he also edited the Feynman Lectures on Computation (Anniversary Edition), a key text on physics and computing.

Caterina Doglioni, a particle physicist at the University of Manchester and part of CERN’s ATLAS collaboration, explains how AI is unlocking new physics at the Large Hadron Collider. She sees big potential but warns against relying too much on AI’s “black box” models without truly understanding nature’s behaviour.

Felice Frankel, a science photographer and MIT research scientist, discusses AI’s promise for visualizing science. However, she is concerned about its potential to manipulate scientific data and imagery – distorting reality. Frankel wrote about the need for an ethical code of conduct for AI in science imagery in this recent Nature essay.

The episode also questions the environmental cost of AI’s vast energy demands. As AI becomes central to physics, should researchers worry about its sustainability? What responsibility do physicists have in managing its impact?

Hey and Doglioni were advisers for the IOP report Physics and AI: A Physics Community Perspective, which explores the opportunities and challenges at the intersection of AI and physics.

Listen now for a lively discussion on AI’s evolving role in physics.

The post AI and the future of physics appeared first on Physics World.

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