Latest news with #quantummechanics
Geek Girl Authority
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
The Psychology of Chance: Exploring Probability in Sci-Fi Narratives
In the vast expanses of science fiction universes, few concepts are as simultaneously mathematical and mystical as probability. From the quantum uncertainties that drive parallel universe theories to the statistical improbabilities that heroes must overcome, chance and probability form the backbone of countless beloved sci-fi narratives. But what is it about these mathematical concepts that captivates storytellers and audiences alike? As a longtime sci-fi enthusiast who's spent countless hours analyzing the intersection of science and storytelling, I've always been fascinated by how writers use probability as both a plot device and a philosophical exploration. Sci-fi creators leverage these mathematical concepts to build tension, drive character development, and pose profound questions about fate versus randomness in ways that continue to captivate audiences across all media. The Quantum Roll of the Dice: Probability as Plot Device Science fiction has long been enamored with quantum mechanics and its strange, probabilistic nature. The quantum world, where particles exist in states of probability rather than certainty until observed, provides the perfect scientific foundation for narratives exploring chance and multiple possibilities. Notable Examples of Probability-Driven Sci-Fi Plots Science fiction has a rich history of using probability as a central narrative element. The most compelling stories don't just mention chance – they weave it into the very fabric of their universes, using probability as both scientific foundation and philosophical playground. Below, I've compiled some of the most fascinating explorations of probability across various sci-fi media, highlighting how these mathematical concepts transform from abstract theories into powerful storytelling tools. Title Probability Concept How It's Used Impact on Narrative Rick and Morty Infinite universes Creates unlimited parallel timelines Allows for exploration of every possible decision outcome Devs (TV series) Deterministic universe Probability is an illusion; everything is predetermined Creates tension between free will and fatalism Dark (Netflix) Causal determinism Past, present, and future exist simultaneously in a probability loop Explores whether characters can break predetermined paths Doctor Strange Seeing all possible futures The Time Stone allows viewing 14,000,605 possible outcomes Creates dramatic tension through astronomical odds Star Trek Heisenberg Compensators Fictional technology that manages quantum uncertainty Solves the uncertainty problem in teleportation The Three-Body Problem Computational universe Reality behaves like a simulation with probabilistic rules Examines how civilizations might respond to unreliable physics Table 1: Probability Concepts in Popular Science Fiction Works Science fiction writers have masterfully employed these concepts to create tension through improbable odds. Consider the iconic scene in Star Wars: A New Hope where C-3PO informs Han Solo that the odds of successfully navigating an asteroid field are approximately 3,720 to 1. Rather than deterring our smuggler hero, this astronomical improbability only strengthens his resolve, highlighting a uniquely human trait: our tendency to rally against statistical impossibilities. The Human Factor: Why We Misunderstand Probability One of the most fascinating aspects of probability in sci-fi is how it reflects our real-world cognitive biases about chance. Humans are notoriously poor at intuitively understanding probability, and sci-fi narratives often exploit this fact to create compelling stories. Common probability misconceptions that appear in sci-fi include: The Gambler's Fallacy: The belief that previous outcomes affect future independent events The Hot Hand Fallacy: Perceiving streaks in random sequences The Law of Small Numbers: Drawing major conclusions from minimal data points The Monte Carlo Fallacy: Believing that deviations from expected behavior will correct themselves The Base Rate Fallacy: Ignoring general statistical information when judging specific cases The Clustering Illusion: Seeing patterns in truly random distributions These cognitive biases don't just make for interesting character flaws—they reflect genuine human psychology. When a character in Battlestar Galactica insists that jumping to the same coordinates seven times in a row will eventually work despite previous failures, they're exhibiting the same gambler's fallacy that might lead someone to believe a roulette wheel is 'due' for red after several blacks. Fate vs. Randomness: The Philosophical Dimension Beyond plot mechanics, probability in science fiction often serves as a vehicle for exploring deeper philosophical questions about determinism versus free will, fate versus chance, and order versus chaos. Consider the divergent approaches in two classic sci-fi works: Isaac Asimov's Foundation series and Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle . Asimov's psychohistory presents a universe where, while individual actions remain unpredictable, the collective behavior of human societies follows statistical laws that can be calculated with near certainty. This deterministic view suggests that while small-scale events may seem random, large-scale history follows inevitable patterns. In stark contrast, Dick's alternate history novel hinges on the I Ching, an ancient Chinese divination text based on probability. Characters consult the I Ching to make decisions, suggesting a universe governed by chance rather than determinism—yet the narrative itself hints at deeper patterns beneath apparent randomness. This tension between determinism and randomness resonates with audiences because it reflects our own existential questions. Are we masters of our fate or subjects to probability? When Commander Adama in Battlestar Galactica states, 'You know, sometimes I wonder if the gods just rolled the dice and decided to see what would happen,' he's voicing the same cosmic uncertainty we all sometimes feel. Games of Chance: Gambling Motifs in Sci-Fi The relationship between gambling and science fiction runs deeper than it might initially appear. Casinos, card games, and betting systems frequently appear in sci-fi narratives, serving as more than just atmospheric world-building—they become powerful metaphors for how characters understand and relate to chance. Consider the iconic casino planet Canto Bight in Star Wars: The Last Jedi , serving as a stark visual representation of how the wealthy elite attempt to control and profit from chance while remaining insulated from its negative outcomes. Or the space station casino in Cowboy Bebop where bounty hunters track targets amid the flashing lights of slot machines—a visual reminder that their profession is itself a gamble. The most compelling gambling scenes in sci-fi often highlight the tension between skill and luck. When Han Solo wins the Millennium Falcon from Lando Calrissian in a game of sabacc, the scene establishes both characters' willingness to risk everything on a single bet—a trait that defines their approaches to the larger conflicts in the story. Similarly, in Battlestar Galactica , the regular card games among the crew serve as moments of normalcy amid chaos while subtly reinforcing the show's themes about control, fate, and human decision-making under pressure. What makes these fictional gambling scenarios so compelling is how they mirror our real-world fascination with probability and chance. In both sci-fi and reality, we're drawn to the tension between mathematical odds and unpredictable outcomes. This intersection of probability theory and entertainment isn't limited to fiction—many sci-fi fans enjoy exploring similar probability systems through real-world games of chance. The rise of online casinos has made it easier than ever to experience these probability mechanics firsthand, allowing people to test theories and strategies against actual odds without leaving home. A particularly useful resource for those looking to explore these concepts is , where you can compare various casino bonuses and analyze the underlying probability systems that govern games of chance—much like the analytical approach that makes probability-centric sci-fi so fascinating. The Multiverse: When All Probabilities Play Out Perhaps no probability concept has gained more traction in modern sci-fi than the multiverse theory—the idea that every possible outcome of every decision spawns its own universe. This concept has moved from fringe physics to mainstream entertainment, appearing in works ranging from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse to Everything Everywhere All at Once . The multiverse provides a narrative playground where writers can explore not just what happened, but what might have happened. Shows like Loki and The Flash use the multiverse to examine how slight variations in probability can lead to dramatically different outcomes, while films like Coherence use quantum uncertainty to create psychological horror from probability itself. What makes the multiverse so compelling is how it addresses our natural tendency to wonder 'what if?' When we see a character encountering their alternate selves who made different choices, we're engaging with the same psychological mechanism that makes us contemplate our own roads not taken. Digital Probability: AI and Randomness in Sci-Fi As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly prevalent in our world, sci-fi has begun exploring how AI systems understand and manipulate probability. From HAL 9000's probability assessments in 2001: A Space Odyssey to the predictive algorithms in Minority Report and Person of Interest , fictional AI systems often serve as the ultimate probability calculators. These narratives tap into our contemporary relationship with algorithmic systems. Today's recommendation engines, predictive text, and targeted advertising all use probabilistic methods to anticipate our behavior. When we watch a sci-fi show where an AI predicts human actions with unsettling accuracy, we're experiencing an amplified version of our daily interactions with technology. This fictional exploration has real-world parallels. Just as sci-fi AI systems calculate character behaviors, actual systems analyze complex probability patterns in various domains. Whether it's predictive policing algorithms or websites evaluating game odds, these systems represent our ongoing attempt to master probability through computation. Conclusion: The Universal Appeal of Chance Why does probability continue to fascinate sci-fi creators and audiences? Perhaps because it exists at the intersection of science and mystery. Probability is mathematically rigorous yet leaves room for the unexpected—the perfect balance for science fiction, which thrives in the space between the known and the unknown. The best sci-fi stories about probability remind us that while we can calculate odds, we can never fully tame chance. As Douglas Adams humorously illustrated with the Infinite Improbability Drive in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy , sometimes the most improbable events are precisely what make life—and storytelling—most interesting. In a universe governed by probability waves and quantum uncertainty, science fiction doesn't just use probability as a plot device—it helps us process our own relationship with chance, uncertainty, and possibility. And in that exploration, we might just find something profoundly human: our persistent hope that despite overwhelming odds, improbable doesn't mean impossible. Prime Video Cancels THE WHEEL OF TIME After 3 Seasons RELATED: Read our The Wheel of Time recaps
Arab News
15-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Nations that invest in quantum today will lead tomorrow
The UN has designated 2025 the International Year of Quantum to honor the 100th anniversary of quantum mechanics. Yet, as we look back on a century of quantum, we must also look ahead and prepare for the unprecedented economic, social and policy transformations that the accelerating advance of quantum technologies will surely bring. The question is no longer 'if' or 'when,' but 'how' nations, industries and societies must ready themselves for this quantum future. In Saudi Arabia, steps have been taken to harness the opportunities of quantum technologies — yet continued, coordinated efforts are needed to ensure the transformation is sustainable, responsible and equitable. Quantum technology is already changing how we work, from expediting medical breakthroughs to enhancing cybersecurity. According to some predictions, it could potentially generate up to $1.3 trillion in economic value by 2035. However, significant challenges remain, including security risks, high barriers to entry and regulatory uncertainty as governments navigate this complex, emerging field. The quantum race has already begun. In the private sector, tech companies such as Nvidia, Google, Microsoft and Classiq are developing commercial solutions, while countries around the world are implementing national strategies. The US has advanced with its National Quantum Initiative, committing more than $4.1 billion to research and innovation. China, with an estimated $15 billion in public funding, is prioritizing quantum communication and encryption, exemplified by its QUESS satellite. The EU's $1.08 billion Quantum Flagship aims to build a secure quantum network across Europe, and the UK, with $4.2 billion in investments, is developing its own quantum ecosystem through dedicated research hubs. Simply put, nations that act now will lead tomorrow. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for Saudi Arabia as it drives forward Vision 2030, which prioritizes technological innovation and strategic geopolitical leadership. Within the private sector, companies including Saudi Aramco and Pasqal are collaborating to deploy the country's first quantum computer. However, the wide-ranging potential of quantum technology demands cross-sector coordination between public and private actors, supported by effective awareness campaigns. The Kingdom has taken major steps to accelerate its quantum ambitions, becoming the first nation to pilot the World Economic Forum's Quantum Economy Blueprint. At Saudi Arabia's Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR Saudi Arabia), an affiliate of the World Economic Forum, we are helping guide this preparation through a forthcoming comprehensive national quantum roadmap. This roadmap identifies investment, education, research and development, and strategy as four key factors in quantum readiness. It is a core component of our Quantum Economy Project and is supported by our Quantum Economy Landscape in Saudi Arabia report. With quantum transformation no longer a distant prospect but a present-day priority, clear strategies are more important than ever. Dr. Basma Al-Buhairan Significant investments are already underway from the Kingdom's industrial powerhouses, such as NEOM's Quantum Nexus. Yet a sustainable and equitable quantum economy must also empower small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurs. C4IR Saudi Arabia and the World Economic Forum recently launched the Quantum for Society Challenge via the UpLink platform, seeking scalable quantum solutions in climate, healthcare, agriculture and manufacturing. The top innovators were announced in April, showcasing the range of quantum-enabled opportunities already being realized — and hinting at many more to come. Yet quantum preparedness is not only about advancing technology — it's about people, too. Future-ready education must build the highly specialized skills a quantum workforce requires, elevating interdisciplinary talent to drive both innovation and commercialization. Seven Saudi universities have already established advanced quantum programs, and institutions such as the National Information Technology Academy, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology and the Saudi Federation for Cyber Security and Programming, through TUWAIQ Academy, are nurturing a skilled workforce through internships, specialized training and skill transition programs. But to fully realize the Kingdom's ambitions and build a globally competitive quantum workforce, deeper collaboration among universities, industry leaders, research institutions and government bodies will be essential. Saudi Arabia's momentum in research and development is also accelerating. Quantum-related publications from Saudi institutions increased from just 20 in 2010 to more than 180 by 2024, and key stakeholders — including the Research, Development and Innovation Authority, STC Group and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals' Intelligent Secure Systems Center — are advancing projects in superconducting quantum circuits, quantum emulation and quantum communication. Meanwhile, King Saud University has established its Center of Excellence in Information Assurance, focusing on information security and post-quantum cryptography — both critical to securing the future of digital communications. Even as investments and R&D grow, more must be done to improve public understanding of quantum science and technology (even Einstein once described quantum phenomena as 'spooky action at a distance'). C4IR Saudi Arabia has been actively supporting this effort, recently hosting the Kingdom's World Quantum Day celebrations and bringing together leaders from government, academia and industry — as well as the general public — to explore how quantum can and will shape our shared future. With quantum transformation no longer a distant prospect but a present-day priority, clear strategies are more important than ever. Supported by the efforts of C4IR Saudi Arabia and others, the Kingdom has laid a strong foundation for a quantum-powered future — investing in talent, forging strategic partnerships and establishing a clear national direction to ensure the transformation is inclusive, secure and impactful. Equally important is the creation of a governance consortium that unites government, academia and industry to ensure quantum technologies are developed responsibly, equitably and with long-term resilience in mind. Looking forward, staying ahead means working together. C4IR Saudi Arabia is proud to be playing a role through our quantum roadmap, but this is a space in which everyone can participate — whether by investing, strategizing, exploring or learning — to ensure our quantum future benefits all. • Dr. Basma Al-Buhairan leads Saudi Arabia's Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, driving national strategies in AI, emerging tech, and digital transformation.
Forbes
14-05-2025
- Science
- Forbes
This Decentralized AI Could Revolutionize Drug Development
One of the most promising advancements in drug discovery isn't coming from big pharma — it's emerging from the convergence of decentralized AI and high-fidelity molecular simulations. That basically means creating faux chemical reactions on a computer while precisely measuring the results at the levels of atoms. In April, Rowan Labs released Egret-1, a suite of machine-learned neural network potentials designed to simulate organic chemistry at atomic precision. In plain terms, this model offers 'the level of accuracy from national supercomputers at a thousand to a million times the speed,' Rowan Labs Co-founder Ari Wagen said on Zoom. And they've open-sourced the entire package. But the real acceleration comes from Rowan's partnership with subnet 25 of the decentralized AI protocol Bittensor, called Macrocosmos. It's an unlikely yet potent collaboration — Rowan's high-accuracy synthetic data generation, now powered by a decentralized compute layer, could drastically reduce the cost and time to discover new therapeutic compounds and treatments. At the heart of Rowan's work is the idea of training AI neural networks not on scraped web data, but on physics in action — specifically, quantum mechanics. 'We build synthetic datasets by running quantum mechanics equations,' Wagen explained. 'We're training neural networks to recreate the outputs of those equations. It's like Unreal Engine [a leading 3D modeling app], but for simulating the atomic-level real world.' This isn't theory. It's application. Rowan's models can already predict critical pharmacological properties — like how tightly a small molecule binds to a protein. That matters when trying to determine if a potential drug compound will actually work. 'Instead of running experiments, you can run simulations in the computer,' Wagen said. 'You save so much time, so much money and you get better results.' To generate the training data for these models, Rowan used conventional quantum mechanical simulations. But to go further — to make the models more generalizable and robust — they need more data. That's where Macrocosmos comes in. 'We've spent the past year trying to incentivize better molecular dynamics,' said Macrocosmos' Founding Engineer, Brian McCrindle. 'The vision is to let Rowan spin up synthetic data generation across our decentralized compute layer — at fractions of the cost of AWS or centralized infrastructure.' The advantage isn't just cost — it's scale, speed and resilience. 'If we can generate the next training dataset in a month instead of six, the next version of Egret will come out twice as fast,' McCrindle added. The stakes are enormous. With the right volume and variety of high-quality data, Rowan hopes to build 'a model of unprecedented scale that can simulate chemistry and biology at the atomic level,' Wagen said. That's not hyperbole — it's a strategy to compress the drug discovery timeline by years and open the door to faster cures for rare diseases and more effective preclinical toxicity testing. And it doesn't stop at human health. Rowan is already working with researchers tackling carbon capture, atomic-level manufacturing and even oil spill cleanup using this technology. 'We can predict how fast materials break down, or optimize catalysts to degrade pollutants,' said Rowan Co-founder, Jonathon Vandezande, a materials scientist by training. Of course, synthetic data raises the question of reliability. Wagen was clear: 'The synthetic data we generate is more accurate than what you'd get from running a physical experiment. Real instruments have worse error bars than our quantum mechanical approximations.' And unlike earlier failures like IBM Watson Health, Rowan posts all model benchmarks publicly. 'You can see exactly where they perform well—and where they don't,' he said. So what's next? Within a year, both teams aim to release a new peer-reviewed paper demonstrating how decentralized compute generated the next generation of chemical simulation models. 'This partnership lets us take what would have been a six-figure cloud bill and decentralize it,' McCrindle noted. 'That's the promise of decentralized science.' It's also a compelling proof point for Bittensor, which now supports over 100 subnets tackling everything from international soccer match predictions to AI deepfake detection. But for McCrindle, the vision is simpler: 'Can we incentivize any kind of science? That's always been the question.' With Egret-1 and Macrocosmos' decentralized AI platform — the answer looks increasingly like a yes.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
The Computational Limit of Life May Be Much Higher Than We Thought
A new paper written by a theoretical physicist at Howard University claims that aneural eukaryotic cells could process information up to a billion times faster than typical biochemical processes. This idea forms from the emerging evidence that biology and quantum mechanics may not be as mutually exclusive as scientists originally thought. Although this idea requires rigorous experimentation to be proven, it might show that biological computation is much more powerful that even the greatest quantum computers. What is the computational limit of biology? According to some technologists, the human brain is capable of 1016 computations per second, and if a super-advanced AI were to ever that threshold (and gain a whole host of other abilities), we'd enter hit what is known in tech circles as the singularity. However, a new article written by theoretical physicist Philip Kurian argues that this limit—and all other neuron-based estimations of life's computational abilities—have woefully underestimated the true abilities of biological brains. Kurian includes a controversial (but increasingly influential) idea in his calculations: that quantum processes in a biological system, when taken together, far exceed the computing power of even the most advanced quantum computer. Published in the journal Science Advances, this article expands on QBL's recent discovery of cytoskeleton filaments exhibiting quantum optical features and recalculates the computational capacity of carbon-based life on Earth. 'This work connects the dots among the great pillars of twentieth century physics—thermodynamics, relativity, and quantum mechanics—for a major paradigm shift across the biological sciences, investigating the feasibility and implications of quantum information processing in wetware at ambient temperatures,' Kurian said in a press statement ('wetware' is a term for organic material in the human body analogous to hardware in a computer). 'Physicists and cosmologists should wrestle with these findings, especially as they consider the origins of life on Earth and elsewhere in the habitable universe, evolving in concert with the electromagnetic field.' Biology and quantum mechanics typically don't mix, and for good reason. Artificial quantum systems generally require ultracold, approaching-absolute-zero temperatures to run, as qubits are incredibly sensitive to disturbances (this is why quantum computers also contain robust error correction measures). So, the warm and chaotic environment of, say, a human brain, is far from ideal for quantum processes. However, for decades, some theories (that have slowly become less out there with age) have suggested that quantum processes could in fact be occurring in the brain. In some hypotheses, they could even be responsible for consciousness itself. Kurian's paper focuses on the amino acid tryptophan, which is found in many proteins and can form large networks within structures like microtubules, amyloid fibrils, cilia, and neurons. Combined with QBL's discovery last year, an idea has taken shape that aneural organisms may be able to use these quantum signals to process information. Typically, biochemical signals involve neurons moving across cells, but in a quantum sense, tryptophan could be acting like quantum fiber optics. It would be able to perform operations in mere picoseconds, which would allow the cells to operate a billion times faster than chemical processing alone. This revised limit may sound humbling, but if these aneural cells are using quantum signals to process information, that's good news for both the quantum computing world and the world of artificial intelligence. 'And all this in a warm soup! The quantum computing world should take serious notice,' Kurian said in a press statement. 'In the era of artificial intelligences and quantum computers, it is important to remember that physical laws restrict all their behaviors.' Of course, much like many of the quantum theories of information processing and consciousness put forth in the past, Kurian's ideas still need rigorous testing before they completely upend our understanding of biological computation. However, what seemed inconceivable decades ago—combing the quantum world with the biological one—is quickly become less so as we learn more about the subatomic biological world. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
