Quantum physics is known for its weird characteristics, such as entanglement — what Einstein once called “spooky action at a distance” — and superposition, the bizarre ability of atomic particles to be in more than one place at the same time.
Following this modern branch of physics often leads to delightful (or disturbing, depending on your point of view) speculations about the nature of reality. But just like the rest of us, quantum physics has to get up in the morning, put on its shoes and go to work. Here are a few places quantum physics shows up in your everyday life.
Though we don’t have fully operational quantum computers quite yet, we wouldn’t have any electronic computers without quantum mechanics. Superposition — the weird property of quantum physics that keeps Schrödinger’s cat alive and dead at the same time — is what makes possible the computer you’re using to ...
