Clear as Quantum – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Lasers are everywhere, and David Coutts helps us explore some of the quantum ideas behind these amazing light sources.

David is a professor at Macquarie University and has worked with numerous exciting lasers - including some that produce light in Aussie green-and-gold colours. It's fascinating to realise just how widely lasers are used, even if they're often a bit behind the scenes. They can also be quite exciting, with beams able to drill a hole in your eye or even blast rust off metal! David explains how lasers work and various ways they can be built.

Have you ever thought about lasers powered by nuclear explosions? Subscribe and share with your friends!

Karen Livesey talks about the quantum side of hot glowing things, revealing that quantum has been ubiquitous since the dawn of time.

Karen is an Associate Professor at the University of Newcastle and has taught many students about how hot things glow in process called "blackbody radiation". Not only is this phenomenon thoroughly quantum, but it was actually one of the things that first led to the development of quantum theories in science. This is the first episode in a season exploring ubiquitous technologies that rely on quantum science, and Karen expertly explains kitchen toasters, sunlight, and even humans ourselves!

Do you want to avoid things like the "ultraviolet catastrophe"? Subscribe and share with your friends!

Quantum doesn't have to be tiny! Magdalena Zych talks about quantum "systems" on a cosmic scale.

Magdalena is a theoretician who ponders questions that straddle quantum physics and relativity - which is a big deal because these two famous theories aren't quite compatible. Quantum systems make superbly precise clocks, and measuring time is a way to play with the bent space-time of relativity. This is a great game to stretch your brain! We are amazed by the ability of equations to describe the universe (although the detailed maths are left out of this conversation), and Magdalena recounts a fantastic adventure around the world to chat with colleagues.

Have you ever wondered about a "quantum only-child" being simultaneously older and younger than themselves? Subscribe and share with your friends!

Thomas Volz discusses what the word "engineered" has to do with quantum science, and gives an exciting overview of the emerging quantum industry.

Thomas builds - or engineers - exotic quantum particles that don't occur in nature! These new kinds of material are part matter and part light, and are made using laser light bouncing between two mirrors (a bit like in a hotel elevator) that interacts with atoms in the gap between the mirrors. The idea of "quantum engineering" extends into a lively and rapidly growing range of industrial applications, and Thomas talks about co-founding a tech startup growing out of his research lab. We also touch on the impact of enthusiastic teachers and the birth of quantum science!

Whether you want to be one of the world's first Quantum Engineers or not, subscribe and share with your friends!

Sally Shrapnel shares a somewhat meandering journey into quantum science, and gives a fascinating perspective on our keyword "quantum".

Sally is one of the Deputy Directors of EQUS and does theoretical research into pretty deep ideas like "causation" and "the arrow of time", but this doesn't mean she's detached from reality. She worked as a medical doctor and rural GP before becoming a quantum scientist, and has some great stories (and advice) from her less direct career journey. Her combination of expertise enabled Sally to help work out important things about COVID-19 early in the pandemic, and she reminds us that physicists have a tremendous range of skills to offer the world in all sorts of data-driven situations. Also, we ponder the limits to what can be learnt and hear what quantum sounds like to a theoretician!

The world is a better place when more people know about quantum science. Subscribe and share with your friends!

Lachlan, Liz, and Yasmine introduce themselves as hosts of Clear as Quantum, and share anecdotes about their own quantum science research.

This first season of Clear as Quantum will interview a range of quantum science experts around Australia, but it's nice to hear a bit about the hosts first. Liz talks about building quantum sensors that might enable magnetic communication inside mines. Lachlan explains a bit about glowing diamonds, and Yasmine shares her work building Schrödinger Cats out of ultracold helium! They also share how they got into quantum science and what excites them about it.

Don’t you wish you knew more about quantum technology? Subscribe to Clear as Quantum in your favourite podcast app, or bookmark clearasquantum.transistor.fm in your web browser so that you’re ready to catch every episode (we've learnt how to improve audio quality in subsequent recordings).

Coming soon, a podcast about quantum science and technology and how it is set to change the world.

Quantum science is getting ready to unleash a revolution. Quantum computers are in the news, and quantum technologies of many kinds are getting ready to make an impact. Students in school today will be among the world’s first ever generation of quantum engineers. Don’t you wish you knew more about quantum technology? Subscribe now to Clear as Quantum in your favourite podcast app, or bookmark clearasquantum.transistor.fm in your web browser so that you’re ready to catch every episode. 

In this live podcast event, we switch up our theme for Season 2 (coming soon) to talk about things that loudly claim to be quantum—but are they?  

Marketing gurus are alert to the appeal of "quantum", and many products use this buzzword to catch attention. Armed with a brief revision of what makes things really quantum, we have a go at working out how various items live up to this label. Have you heard of quantum batteries, dish-washing soap, TVs, shoes, fridges, and even motivational self-help? Some of these are totally valid, and others are more of a humorous stretch. Test your knowledge (or gullibility) against our live audience!

Subscribe to make sure you're ready for Season 2 of Clear as Quantum, which will explore ubiquitous technologies that really do rely on quantum science (sometimes in hidden ways). We'd love to hear your quantum questions - send them to engage@equs.org and we'll try to answer them in future episodes!

It's been a long time without episodes, but we've "rephased" our podcast to restore coherence! 

Season 2 is coming soon, but this is a bonus episode to catch up on some highlights from the world of Quantum Science. Instead of interview guests we have two new co-hosts to introduce: Tim talks about nano-scale trampoline computers and an air-raid siren in his lab, and Jacinta shares her passion for quantum devices and emergent wormholes. The 2022 Physics Nobel Prize for quantum entanglement is a big discussion point, and we also touch on time crystals and even 2-dimensional time!

Make sure you're ready for Season 2 of Clear as Quantum, which will explore ubiquitous technologies that already have us reliant on quantum science. Subscribe and share with your friends. We'd love to hear your quantum questions - send them to engage@equs.org and we'll try to answer them in future episodes!

Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop explains how quantum light can make tiny tractor-beams to move and wiggle things.

Halina is widely recognised for her substantial achievements in moving things with light. "Optical tweezers" are tiny tractor beams that can move and wiggle small particles (larger objects are "safe" because they'd probably burn up before being lifted off a planet into alien spaceships for example). This technique has an enormous number of applications such as wiggling the balance system of zebra fish to study how signals move through brain neurons, and heating gold nanoparticles to burn cancer cells from the inside. Halina was the first female full professor of physics in Australia, and we applaud her active (and ongoing) work to promote and achieve diversity in science.

Whether you're still just trying out physics or have already chosen to like it, subscribe and share with your friends. We'd love to hear your quantum questions - send them to engage@equs.org and we'll try to answer them in future episodes!