Quantum World

Quantum mechanics is known for being mysterious and difficult to understand. A major development in physics this century is the realisation that some of this weirdness can be harnessed to produce a powerful new set of machines – quantum computers. This talk will give a flavour of what these devices are, and how they might be realised.

The overall cost of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) was around €11bn. How can we justify such huge sums in economically difficult times? Particle physicists’ main aim is to understand what our world is made of. However, pursuing fundamental research at the highest level, hiring the brightest minds and building complicated machines, has historically led to numerous unpredicted inventions - computers, GPS, lasers, even the internet. We’ll show how the benefits of these spin-offs far exceed the initial investment, both in terms of economic advantages and the immeasurable benefits to humankind.

Einstein famously declared the ‘spooky’ nature of quantum mechanics, yet it remains one of the most successful theories in the history of science. What did Einstein find so strange about quantum mechanics and what are its consequences in our attempts to understand the world around us? Join us as we embark on an entangled journey to explore the spooky universe!