Long-listed for the 2016 PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award "An important book that provides insight into key new developments in our understanding of the nature of space, time and the universe. It will repay careful study." --John Gribbin, The Wall Street Journal "An endlessly surprising foray into the current mother of physics' many knotty mysteries, the solving of which may unveil the weirdness of quantum particles, black holes, and the essential unity of nature." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) What is space? It isn't a question that most of us normally ask. Space is the venue of physics; it's where things exist, where they move and take shape. Yet over the past few decades, physicists have discovered a phenomenon that operates outside the confines of space and time: nonlocality-the ability of two particles to act in harmony no matter how far apart they may be. It appears to be almost magical. Einstein grappled with this oddity and couldn't come to terms with it, describing it as "spooky action at a distance." More recently, the mystery has deepened as other forms of nonlocality have been uncovered. This strange occurrence, which has direct connections to black holes, particle collisions, and even the workings of gravity, holds the potential to undermine our most basic understandings of physical reality. If space isn't what we thought it was, then what is it? In Spooky Action at a Distance, George Musser sets out to answer that question, offering a provocative exploration of nonlocality and a celebration of the scientists who are trying to explain it. Musser guides us on an epic journey into the lives of experimental physicists observing particles acting in tandem, astronomers finding galaxies that look statistically identical, and cosmologists hoping to unravel the paradoxes surrounding the big bang. He traces the often contentious debates over nonlocality through major discoveries and disruptions of the twentieth century and shows how scientists faced with the same undisputed experimental evidence develop wildly different explanations for that evidence. Their conclusions challenge our understanding of not only space and time but also the origins of the universe-and they suggest a new grand unified theory of physics. Delightfully readable, Spooky Action at a Distance is a mind-bending voyage to the frontiers of modern physics that will change the way we think about reality.

Build an intuitive understanding of the principles behind quantum mechanics through practical construction and replication of original experiments With easy-to-acquire, low-cost materials and basic knowledge of algebra and trigonometry, Exploring Quantum Physics through Hands-on Projects takes readers step by step through the process of re-creating scientific experiments that played an essential role in the creation and development of quantum mechanics. Presented in near chronological order—from discoveries of the early twentieth century to new material on entanglement—this book includes question- and experiment-filled chapters on: Light as a Wave Light as Particles Atoms and Radioactivity The Principle of Quantum Physics Wave/Particle Duality The Uncertainty Principle Schrödinger (and his Zombie Cat) Entanglement From simple measurements of Planck's constant to testing violations of Bell's inequalities using entangled photons, Exploring Quantum Physics through Hands-on Projects not only immerses readers in the process of quantum mechanics, it provides insight into the history of the field—how the theories and discoveries apply to our world not only today, but also tomorrow. By immersing readers in groundbreaking experiments that can be performed at home, school, or in the lab, this first-ever, hands-on book successfully demystifies the world of quantum physics for all who seek to explore it—from science enthusiasts and undergrad physics students to practicing physicists and engineers.

In The Age of Entanglement, Louisa Gilder brings to life one of the pivotal debates in twentieth century physics. In 1935, Albert Einstein famously showed that, according to the quantum theory, separated particles could act as if intimately connected–a phenomenon which he derisively described as “spooky action at a distance.” In that same year, Erwin Schrödinger christened this correlation “entanglement.” Yet its existence was mostly ignored until 1964, when the Irish physicist John Bell demonstrated just how strange this entanglement really was. Drawing on the papers, letters, and memoirs of the twentieth century’s greatest physicists, Gilder both humanizes and dramatizes the story by employing the scientists’ own words in imagined face-to-face dialogues. The result is a richly illuminating exploration of one of the most exciting concepts of quantum physics.

This textbook presents quantum mechanics at the junior/senior undergraduate level. It is unique in that it describes not only quantum theory, but also presents five laboratories that explore truly modern aspects of quantum mechanics. These laboratories include "proving" that light contains photons, single-photon interference, and tests of local realism. The text begins by presenting the classical theory of polarization, moving on to describe the quantum theory of polarization. Analogies between the two theories minimize conceptual difficulties that students typically have when first presented with quantum mechanics. Furthermore, because the laboratories involve studying photons, using photon polarization as a prototypical quantum system allows the laboratory work to be closely integrated with the coursework. Polarization represents a two-dimensional quantum system, so the introduction to quantum mechanics uses two-dimensional state vectors and operators. This allows students to become comfortable with the mathematics of a relatively simple system, before moving on to more complicated systems. After describing polarization, the text goes on to describe spin systems, time evolution, continuous variable systems (particle in a box, harmonic oscillator, hydrogen atom, etc.), and perturbation theory. The book also includes chapters which describe material that is frequently absent from undergraduate texts: quantum measurement, entanglement, quantum field theory and quantum information. This material is connected not only to the laboratories described in the text, but also to other recent experiments. Other subjects covered that do not often make their way into undergraduate texts are coherence, complementarity, mixed states, the density operator and coherent states. Supplementary material includes further details about implementing the laboratories, including parts lists and software for running the experiments. Computer simulations of some of the experiments are available as well. A solutions manual for end-of-chapter problems is available to instructors.

To my daughters Hannah and Katelyn: after I die, when you're thinking of me open to your mind's eye I will not simply be a cold, hard memory in your brain tissue. The memory you will experience is me the part of my consciousness that is entangled with you. Maybe it will happen when you pray, or perhaps when you are on a walk with your dog. You will look up at the stars on a crisp, clear night when the whole world will seem wondrous and beautiful. You will sense my soul or my spirit is with you and that my love for you is in some way eternal. It is. In the past, the words soul and spirit have seemed to be without meaning in the real world; they were hopeful words of the simple-minded or dogmatic. They are not. I believe that our consciousness endures after death in another realm, entangled between loved ones and with everything else. Ultimately, our consciousness is entangled with God. This is heaven nirvana an eternal sanctuary beyond our capabilities to describe or understand. But it is not beyond are capabilities to experience. Our true purpose in life is to discover this experience to become aware to be with God. I continue to struggle mightily at this, but I know that my unconditional love for you both has me moving in exactly the right direction.

This open access book makes quantum computing more accessible than ever before. A fast-growing field at the intersection of physics and computer science, quantum computing promises to have revolutionary capabilities far surpassing “classical” computation. Getting a grip on the science behind the hype can be tough: at its heart lies quantum mechanics, whose enigmatic concepts can be imposing for the novice. This classroom-tested textbook uses simple language, minimal math, and plenty of examples to explain the three key principles behind quantum computers: superposition, quantum measurement, and entanglement. It then goes on to explain how this quantum world opens up a whole new paradigm of computing. The book bridges the gap between popular science articles and advanced textbooks by making key ideas accessible with just high school physics as a prerequisite. Each unit is broken down into sections labelled by difficulty level, allowing the course to be tailored to the student’s experience of math and abstract reasoning. Problem sets and simulation-based labs of various levels reinforce the concepts described in the text and give the reader hands-on experience running quantum programs. This book can thus be used at the high school level after the AP or IB exams, in an extracurricular club, or as an independent project resource to give students a taste of what quantum computing is really about. At the college level, it can be used as a supplementary text to enhance a variety of courses in science and computing, or as a self-study guide for students who want to get ahead. Additionally, readers in business, finance, or industry will find it a quick and useful primer on the science behind computing’s future.

The acquisition and interpretation of images is a central capability in almost all scientific and technological domains. In particular, the acquisition of electromagnetic radiation, in the form of visible light, UV, infrared, X-ray, etc. is of enormous practical importance. The ultimate sensitivity in electronic imaging is the detection of individual photons. With this book, the first comprehensive review of all aspects of single-photon electronic imaging has been created. Topics include theoretical basics, semiconductor fabrication, single-photon detection principles, imager design and applications of different spectral domains. Today, the solid-state fabrication capabilities for several types of image sensors has advanced to a point, where uncoooled single-photon electronic imaging will soon become a consumer product. This book is giving a specialist ́s view from different domains to the forthcoming “single-photon imaging” revolution. The various aspects of single-photon imaging are treated by internationally renowned, leading scientists and technologists who have all pioneered their respective fields.