lesterb wrote:So how much of this is rock solid science and how much is theoretical?
Plus what are the practical implications of all this? What do we get in return for the millions that are going into this kind of research?
Lester, hopefully I can answer this for you. Quantum physics has become a cornerstone theorem in Physics World. Since about 1964 if I recall correctly.
Practical applications include improved instruments for biology and medicine;,
extremely secure encryption codes; and more powerful computers. Of course hyper accurate clocks are now possible so that you can be on time within Planck time which about 5.4 x 10-44 seconds.
0 x
Max (Plain Catholic)
Mt 24:35 Proverbs 18:2 A fool does not delight in understanding but only in revealing his own mind.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God
lesterb wrote:So how much of this is rock solid science and how much is theoretical?
Plus what are the practical implications of all this? What do we get in return for the millions that are going into this kind of research?
Thanks for the replies. Here is what I replied to one PM, about the development of electronics.
I can see this angle of it, though I wouldn't have included this kind of development as being part of quantum physics. Maybe today, looking back, we see this but at the time the idea of particles smaller and less structured than electrons and protons was really theoretical, if not unthought of. Einstein's theory of relativity probably has quantum implications as we understand it now. But I was thinking more in terms of where we are going now. How is the Hadron Collider and its verification of the Higgs boson particle going to pay for itself in practical terms? Etc.
I am not against science. I enjoy reading about these ideas. But there is a need for someone to put some of this into layman's terms so that non-scientists can understand where it is all going.
Its a bit like theology. Until we can summarize a concept in one or two paragraphs, we really don't understand it fully ourselves.
Last edited by lesterb on Sat Jul 14, 2018 10:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
lesterb wrote:So how much of this is rock solid science and how much is theoretical?
Plus what are the practical implications of all this? What do we get in return for the millions that are going into this kind of research?
Thanks for the replies. Here is what I replied to one PM, about the development of electronics.
I can see this angle of it, though I wouldn't have included this kind of development as being part of quantum physics. Maybe today, looking back, we see this but at the time the idea of particles smaller and less structured than electrons and protons was really theoretical, if not unthought of. Einstein's theory of relativity probably has quantum implications as we understand it now. But I was thinking more in terms of where we are going now. How is the Hadron Collider and its verification of the Higgs boson particle going to pay for itself in practical terms? Etc.
I don’t see the LHC having much practical impact.
Physics depends on breakthroughs in math, and it seems to take centuries for math to mature into new physics (or other) discoveries. For example, modern data encryption is based on mathematical principles discovered in the 19th century around things like number theory.
General relativity relied on a lot of different fields in math developed from the 16th century on.
extremely secure encryption codes; and more powerful computers
Quantum mechanics (or general relativity) has no practical applications to either of these things.
If I’m mistaken, MaxPC, please explain.
Actually, clocks do, as they depend on the frequency of changes of atoms between two quantum based states to mark time.
J.M.
Quantum entanglement concepts are used in new microscopes, new encryptions for computers (quantum key distribution) and the enhanced supercomputers now.
Older tech using quantum energy levels and "quantum effect": lasers and transistors. These are just a few of our favorite things.
0 x
Max (Plain Catholic)
Mt 24:35 Proverbs 18:2 A fool does not delight in understanding but only in revealing his own mind.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God
Josh wrote:
Quantum mechanics (or general relativity) has no practical applications to either of these things.
If I’m mistaken, MaxPC, please explain.
Actually, clocks do, as they depend on the frequency of changes of atoms between two quantum based states to mark time.
J.M.
That’s just based on simple electromagnetic physics. Technically, all small scale physics depends on quantum mechanics.
I am especially interested in hearing how quantum mechanics affects “extremely secure encryption codes”.
This is one of the big things that people point to in the development of quantum computers. Any of today's encryption could be cracked pretty quickly by a quantum computer, so there will be need for “extremely secure encryption codes”. While this is an indirect result, I'm sure that the same computing platform will be used to develop encryption as is to crack it.
The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology strontium clock is said to be accurate for 5 billion years. It monitors the specific radiation frequency needed to make electrons jump between energy levels. This clock is used to support telecommunications, GPS, and surveying.
lesterb wrote:
This is one of the big things that people point to in the development of quantum computers. Any of today's encryption could be cracked pretty quickly by a quantum computer, so there will be need for “extremely secure encryption codes”. While this is an indirect result, I'm sure that the same computing platform will be used to develop encryption as is to crack it.
One of the options is to employ a key that uses randomly polarized photons. There's a couple of others but that seems to be the favorite.
0 x
Max (Plain Catholic)
Mt 24:35 Proverbs 18:2 A fool does not delight in understanding but only in revealing his own mind.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God
