Quantum enigma

– This book does everything it sets out to do; however, three out of five because it is very dry, and the authors miss every opportunity to insert a little humor.

I was pretty nervous about starting this book thinking that the science would be way beyond me, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that only two chapters mostly went over my head and the majority of the science as explained requires the basic knowledge of physics taught in high school. Generally, I didn’t get lost in the reading, but I did have to stay focused and think. It’s definitely not fluff.

I’m going to try to keep this not-too-long, but I’m going to summarize my thinking a bit in this review mostly to clarify my thinking.

First, the enigma starts with the fact that some things, example: photons, are both particles and waves, the discovery of which was controversial. From that the question arises that what determines whether a photon is a wave or a particle besides our own measurement of it? The simple answer is observation.

The Quantum Enigma can be simplified to the idea that observation creates reality. Super small items like photons hold a super-position until they are observed, meaning that they hold all possible positions (realities) with a probability of reality until observation sets one probability to 100% and the other to zero. (If I got this wrong, please don’t tell me.) Schrodinger's Cat is the most well known example of this theory.

Now, the idea that items simply don’t exist until they are observed doesn’t sit well with physicists, but they also don’t want to dive into philosophical or religious realms. The concept of consciousness ventures into philosophy, so the enigma is generally ignored by physicists because the math behind quantum physics, which includes the enigma, has been 100% accurate for predictions and modeling since the 1950s.

Side note: the book does cover a few examples of the practical applications stemming from the math of the quantum enigma: ultra-precise clocks, lasers, MRI machines, LEDs, to name a few.

The book details several attempts by physicists to disprove the observation dilemma because the concept that there is no reality without observation seems absurd. One of those focused on what Einstein called “spooky interactions.” The experiment took twin photons, which maintain the same state of being, and observed and affected one independently of its twin. The twin was not observed during the interaction. Upon observation the twin always ended in the same state as the twin despite the fact that it had been unobserved or interacted with. This doesn’t disprove the observation concept for reality but does create more questions.

Clearly, tons of science fiction has been born of thinking about the enigma. One big one right now is the concept of the multiverse: All possibilities are real therefore we have infinite realities.

Throughout the book, the authors discuss what constitutes observation, and one defense of the theory is that all large objects (non-microscopic) are always observed, so our reality feels real, not in flux, because consciousness involves observation of things we know about but can’t see. Also, trees falling in a wood make noise because we know they make noise… maybe.

Toward the end of the book, the authors begin the discussion of consciousness. It was pretty difficult for me to really follow because it really stays at the surface; however, it was interesting to learn that 95% of the universe is dark matter, about 75% energy and 20% matter. We have very little understanding of dark matter, but it could contain a consciousness. The other problem is that we also don’t really understand consciousness. Robots with AI for observing any experiment that reveals the quantum enigma becomes part of the experiment, meaning that until observed by someone undeniably conscious the measurements made by that robot are part of a superposition.

The authors include a couple of quotes in the conclusion that seem relevant in the attempted understanding of the enigma: “Why does the universe go through all the bother of existing.” Steven Hawking. And, “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in our philosophy.” from Hamlet.