Join us for an evening of Science in the Cafe at Science Centre Singapore!

Are we living in the Matrix? An introduction to quantum weirdness

In the movie "The Matrix", the bulk of the human population lives not in the real world but inside a computer simulation called the Matrix. They are unable to detect their predicament, except for the fact that certain people can transcend the normal rules of physics. In this talk I will explain how this is eerily similar to the world we live in. Certain people (quantum physicists) can transcend the normal rules by using entangled particles to do things that "should be" impossible. While not as visually impressive as dodging bullets and leaping tall buildings, these abilities are central to the emerging field of quantum information technology. But even quantum physicists do not agree about what this reveals about the nature of the Matrix.

About the speaker

Howard Wiseman is an Australian theoretical quantum physicist. He is best known for his work in quantum control (understanding how to manipulate matter and information at the quantum scale, where no-one can say what is really going on) and in quantum foundations (speculating on what is really going on). He is least known for his work in Arthurian history and literature, which he nonetheless also holds dear. Howard has co-authored a famous book on quantum control, and sole-authored an obscure book that lies somewhere between Arthurian history and literature. He has won several awards, prizes, or medals in Australia, so far only for his research in physics. He has been elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, the American Physical Society, and the Optical Society of America. He has been Director of the Centre for Quantum Dynamics at Griffith University since 2007.

This public talk is organised by the Centre for Quantum Technologies in partnership with the Science Centre Singapore. It is held in conjunction with the international conference on Interdisciplinary Frontiers of Quantum and Complexity Science happening in Singapore in the same week. The conference is supported by the John Templeton Foundation and the Lee Foundation.