Scientific Method: Questioning Quantum Mechanics

1A

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4.4 • 4.3K Ratings

🗓️ 5 March 2025

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Unless you're a physicist, you've probably only encountered quantum mechanics on TV.

And even when it was explained, you might've still been a little confused.

The field of quantum mechanics was created a century ago. Today, scientists are using it to create methods of communication that can't be hacked, higher quality digital images, and to develop medications.

But many of us don't even understand what quantum mechanics is — or how it's deepening our understanding of the universe.

For today's installment of our series, "The Scientific Method," we answer your quantum-related questions.

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Transcript

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0:17.1	Learn more about safeguarding the future of public media.
0:20.6	Visit protectmypublic public media.org.
0:27.6	Unless you're a physicist, you've probably only encountered quantum mechanics on television.
0:37.1	Oh man, another quantum fissure?
0:39.0	This is like the third one this month.
0:40.8	Boo, interdimensional portal.
0:42.5	They have been appearing with statistically abnormal regularity.
0:45.7	Someone has to close the spacetime potholes
0:47.9	or who knows what kind of parallel universe stuff
0:50.1	could drift into our dimension.
0:51.8	And even when it was explained by one of the characters,
0:54.3	you might have still been a little confused.
0:56.7	Guys, I think we found ourselves a quantum leap.
0:59.2	What the hell's a quantum leap?
1:00.7	Oh, a great show from the Coke-fueled era of 80s television
1:04.2	where Scott Bacula would leap into other people's bodies,
1:06.8	but he didn't know it unless he saw his reflection.
1:08.9	I feel like whoever's ataptus here is probably listening.
1:11.5	And who is that? Who's that?
1:12.9	I don't know. Ziggy? They never really clarified on quantum leave.
	...

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