The DPG is launching the online resource “A History Wall of Quantum Physics” as part of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology
The Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft (German Physical Society | DPG) has launched a website that offers insights into the multi-layered history of quantum physics. The website quantum-history.org uses a visual approach to the development of quantum physics and quantum mechanics in particular, whose historical development, like the theories and experiments themselves, is complex. The website offers both English-language and German-language versions.
Interested parties can now explore quantum physics online: from terms and concepts, theories and interpretations, to instruments, experiments, and measurements. Visual elements are combined with short texts or “history snacks” that explain the physical background and historical context as concisely and easily understandable as possible.
“Instead of people, their memories and views, the focus here is on physics itself,” explains project leader Arne Schirrmacher. “The history is presented visually: through curves, formulas, drawings, notes, and diagrams that represent the key advances, but also by photos and quotes that explain the context and conflicts in the development of quantum physics.”
Physics historians and physicists interested in the history of physics have intensively studied the history of quantum theory over the last two decades. The Quantum History Project made a significant contribution between 2006 and 2012, bringing together an international group of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science and the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society. This led to the establishment of a larger network of quantum historians that is still active today and has contributed to the History Wall.
“The future applications of innovations based on quantum physics are diverse, and their full range is not yet foreseeable,” says Klaus Richter, President of the German Physical Society. “In Germany, the International Quantum Year is therefore also being celebrated under the motto ‘100 years is just the beginning’.”
The “Quantum History Wall” was realized with the support of the Wilhelm and Else Heraeus Foundation and is a contribution of the DPG to the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. Further thanks go to the participating publishers and institutions, such as the American Physical Society, the Heisenberg Society, the Deutsches Museum, Wiley-VCH, Hirzel, Springer Nature and others for generously granting free usage rights to numerous archival materials and photographs.
The History Wall is currently also part of the special exhibition “Was zum Quant?!”, which is under the umbrella of the DPG and on display in the Forum Wissen, the Museum of Knowledge of the University of Göttingen, until October 2025.
LONDON – April 28th, 2025 – UNESCO’s 2025 2025 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ) today announces the launch of the Quantum 100: A global snapshot of careers & community, a major global initiative to celebrate the diverse people behind quantum science and technology.
From researchers to policymakers, educators to entrepreneurs, and students to communicators, The Quantum 100 will recognize and champion 100 quantum professionals from around the world.
To be considered for inclusion, IYQ is asking for submissions which demonstrate important contributions to quantum science and technology or the quantum community in the fields of:
Academia
Arts
Communication
Education
Government
Industry
Philanthropy
Submissions are open from today until 28th May.
Each person within the Quantum 100 will have their name and photo in an online gallery on the IYQ website with details about their accomplishments. Submissions will be reviewed by members of the IYQ Steering Committee, an international consortium of scientists and policymakers, with announcements of the Quantum 100 beginning on 29 July, to coincide with 100 years since the publication of Werner Heisenberg’s “magical” paper that led to the development of the new model of quantum mechanics.
“The Quantum 100 is in the true spirit of the IYQ ,” said Sir Peter Knight,
Professor at Imperial College London, Chair of the Quantum Metrology Institute at the National Physical Laboratory and co-chair of IYQ Steering Committee. “ Quantum sciences and the wider quantum community is driven forward by a cohort of diverse, globally-minded individuals. With this initiative, we will celebrate the roles and contributions of these individuals, and in doing so inspire the next generation of quantum talent. One of the goals of IYQ is that anyone, anywhere can participate, and the Quantum 100 is a timely reminder of how many different kinds of people are already participating and thriving in the quantum industry around the world.”
Silvina Ponce Dawson, President of IUPAP (International Union of Pure and Applied Physics) added:
“With diversity key to scientific endeavour, The Quantum 100 represents an important and timely initiative to highlight how quantum science and technology can be tackled from different perspectives. I truly hope that Quantum 100 will inspire other activities and help increase diversity within a field that is already exerting a huge impact on human society worldwide.”
About the International Year of Quantum Science & Technology:
The UN declared 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science & Technology (IYQ) to mark the 100th anniversary of the study of quantum mechanics, and to help raise public awareness of the importance and impact of quantum science and applications on all aspects of life. It also aims to inspire the next generation of quantum scientists and improve the future quantum workforce by focusing on education and outreach. Anyone, anywhere, can participate in IYQ by helping others to learn more about quantum or simply taking the time to learn more about it themselves.
Quantum technology took the stage in Berlin on April 14. The highlight was the ceremonial return of the QuanTour light source to Urania, – a symbolic conclusion to a year-long journey through European research institutions. The QuanTour linked laboratories and universities across Europe as a precursor to this year’s International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.
“With the QuanTour, we wanted to set an example for networking, transparency and enthusiasm for quantum technology,” say the initiators, Doris Reiter and Tobias Heindel, who had the idea for the project two years ago. “Due to the great interest, the QuanTour light source will make one more stop in Turkey before being passed on to the Physikalisch-Technische-Bundesanstalt.”
Measuring the same quantum light source more than a dozen times in different laboratories is a unique experiment and an important step toward establishing standards for quantum technologies. At the same time, the QuanTour made quantum research visible to the public across Europe: researchers gave insights into the physics laboratories and their everyday life in science via Instagram and in a podcast.
In addition to the return of the light source, the World Quantum Day event offered a varied program with numerous interactive experiments, workshops, and a hands-on exhibition. During the workshop on quantum cryptography, students could playfully try out for themselves how a secret key is transmitted in the form of a random bit sequence using individual photons, and whether this was intercepted. Another workshop illustrated quantized conductance. With experimental skill, participants were able to observe quantum jumps in the conductance of gold wire using an oscilloscope by carefully pulling two gold wires apart.
In the hands-on exhibition, quantum phenomena such as superposition and entanglement were made accessible in a playful way, for example with the game Quantum Tic-Tac-Toe by the Junge Tüftler:innen or the artwork Quantum Jungle, which visualized the Schrödinger equation. The analogue Paul Trap by Q-Bus demanded skill in handling an ion trap experiment made of wood. The program was complemented by the touring exhibition Rethinking Physics, which highlighted the role of women in science. The booths of Leap, AQLS, Berlin Partner, BTU, and The Science Talk provided information about the multifaceted quantum landscape in Berlin.
The highlight of the evening was a Quantum Science Slam: five young researchers presented their scientific work in a creative and easy-to-understand way, from molecular films and stardust quantum computers to motion-dependent quantum emotions. Science journalist and physicist Sabrina Patsch, who humorously explained quantum entanglement using the fictional animals Quaninchen and Queerschweinchen, won the slam.
Interview with Catherine Lefebvre, Senior Advisor at the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) for the Open Quantum Institute, a GESDA initiative hosted by CERN
Imagine it’s the year 2035. Quantum computing has reached some maturity, revolutionizing industries and solving complex problems at an unprecedented scale. Large corporations rely on quantum systems to accelerate technological innovation. But has this progress been shared equitably? Has quantum technology been used to tackle humanity’s most pressing challenges, such as strengthening global food security, improving global access to affordable essential medicines, and reducing carbon emissions? Or has it remained in the hands of a few, widening the gap between those who have benefited from it and those who don’t?
In the framework of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, we interviewed scientist Dr. Catherine Lefebvre, who specializes in exploring quantum computing-related thought scenarios. She is a Senior Advisor for the Open Quantum Institute at the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA).
2025 Laureate in Innovation by Le Point.
“At GESDA, what we do is to anticipate future scientific and technological breakthroughs in the next 5 to 25 years, as well as the potential related challenges, not only in quantum but also in many other scientific fields. From these challenges, we explore the potential opportunities to make sure that these breakthroughs could benefit all, and not only the rich countries that typically develop and use the technology. With a taskforce of experts, we work towards accelerating a solution and transforming into concrete actions that could lead to a better scenario for everyone. This is how we co-created the Open Quantum Institute,” Catherine explained.
Concerned about the impact of emerging technologies on humanity, she and her colleagues, with the close collaboration of research, diplomacy, industry and impact experts around the globe, launched the Open Quantum Institute (OQI) in October 2022—a bold step toward making quantum computing more inclusive and beneficial for our society and planet. “The mission of the OQI is to promote global, equitable and inclusive access to quantum computing and, through that, to explore applications of quantum computing that would benefit humanity.”
History has taught us that when transformative technologies—like social media or artificial intelligence—are concentrated in the hands of a few, the consequences can be profound and unpredictable. Today, as we stand on the brink of the quantum era, we face a similar crossroads. Looking at quantum computing through an international lens, we see stark disparities: many countries lack the infrastructure, expertise, or funding to participate, leaving vast potential untapped. If quantum technology becomes the exclusive domain of the wealthiest nations or corporations, we risk deepening the digital gap and reinforcing global inequalities.
Catherine enthusiastically explains how she got involved at GESDA and how she and her colleagues helped bring the Open Quantum Institute to life:
“I was doing a training in science diplomacy during the pandemic when I got the opportunity to learn about GESDA. Thanks to my mentor, Prof. Barry Sanders, I was able to join the task force on the quantum initiative, and soon after my involvement grew, and I became part of the GESDA team, as a volunteer. We co-designed a solution that would respond to the opportunity quantum could present, translating it into an institute, which is now the OQI. Towards the end of the OQI incubation phase in 2023, we confirmed CERN as partner to host the institute and help scale it for the three-year pilot, with the support of UBS[the Swiss bank UBS Group AG]. We officially launched the activities at CERN in March 2024, and we are now celebrating a successful first year of the pilot!”
So, what exactly is the mission of the Open Quantum Institute, and what steps its stakeholders are taking? Catherine dives into these questions with clarity and insights.
91st Acfas Congress in Ottawa, May 2024 – Panel on Science Diplomacy.
A promising quantum future for all rests on four activity pillars
First activity pillar: Accelerating applications for humanity
“The first OQI activity pillar is on exploring applications. We’re using the framework of the UN on the Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs] and beyond to explore where quantum computing approaches could be applied to relevant problems that would help accelerate the achievement of the SDGs. For that, we put together multidisciplinary teams of quantum experts, subject-matter experts and UN organizations or large NGOs from all around the world to explore potential impactful use cases of quantum computing.”
Second activity pillar: Access for all
“Once the use cases reach sufficient maturity, we collaborate with industrial partners who are donating credits for the implementation on quantum devices: first on simulators, and then on QPUs [quantum processing units]. This is the second pillar: focusing on access.”
Third activity pillar: Advancing Building Capacity
“The third activity pillar focuses on how to scale globally, how to onboard quantum-underserved geographies in entering their quantum journey, and eventually participating in the exploration of use cases based on their own local challenges. This is working towards increasing inclusivity and equitable access with training and upskilling activities.
Last year, we launched an educational consortium with several academic and industrial education providers to share best practices, put together resources, and make them accessible to target geographies, which are Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
Together with the educational consortium members, OQI is supporting local organizations to deploy educational activities, such as hackathons. For instance, there will be an OQI-supported hackathon in Ghana in July, and several others in Greece, Egypt, Thailand, etc., in 2025 and 2026. Additionally, we are looking into mentorship and internship programs helping to build knowledge capacity globally.”
Fourth activity pillar: Activate multilateral governance for the SDGs
“The other target audience for OQI in terms of education are diplomats, ambassadors, and policymakers. This ties to the fourth pillar, which involves governance and science diplomacy. Equipping diplomats with science-based information about what quantum means, where do we stand in terms of technological development, what are the possible challenges and the geopolitical implications; we provide a neutral multi-stakeholder platform to foster a multilateral dialogue with the goal to accelerate an effective governance approach.
We have designed a Quantum Diplomacy Game, which is a role play simulation to immerse participants in the anticipation of the geopolitical implications of quantum computing and actively explore multilateral governance. The game was played in Washington and at the Technical University of Munich earlier this year and will be “played” in the Philippines, Costa Rica, etc. during the pilot of OQI. ”
Q2B Silicon Valley December 2024. Panel on Quantum and Sustainability.
Enduring challenges to ensure quantum for good and for all
As Catherine reflects on the collaborative nature of the Open Quantum Institute’s work, she highlights on the key challenges they face—bridging gaps in expertise and communication across diverse stakeholders and geographies.
“One of our great challenges is in the translation. I am going to give you a concrete example of use cases development. Because these are multidisciplinary teams, we constantly need to find a way to speak a common language to be effective in the collaboration between, for instance, quantum experts and domain experts.
Another challenge is in upskilling researchers and developers who want to participate with ideas to carry on a use case. We have developed a rigorous methodology to guide the participants from the ideation to the proof-of-concept so that strong use cases could lead to implementation on quantum computers in the future. The snapshot today is that too few participants from quantum-underserved geographies have the level to meaningfully contribute to building strong use cases, so there is a lot to be done for OQI and our collaborators. This is the reality, and it is also validating the need for our education activities.”
While these challenges highlight the complexity of building inclusive and high-quality quantum use cases, Catherine emphasizes the importance of fostering collaboration through rigor, resilience, and practical problem-solving.
“We need to be realistic; no one learns quantum overnight, and not everyone needs to know quantum computing in depth. In exploring use cases, it’s important to bring local experts who with know about their challenges, their own realities, and so these use cases could have real impact, especially on underserved communities and geographies. For example, in certain geographies, they want to be active in preventing natural disasters, how we could predict floods more accurate with quantum computing. This is a real problem in Malaysia, for instance, it is a problem close to their heart. At OQI, we are supporting the development of use cases that will be impactful, and collaborating with local so that the impact can be directed to these affected countries.”
OQI technical workshop on quantum approaches at the GESDA Summit, October 2024 Credit: Marc Bader.
Passion for science and collaboration as motivation to foster global changes
The OQI approach reflects more than just strategy—it speaks about the values that have guided Catherine’s journey from the start. She’s motivated not just by the technology itself but by the global collaboration it can foster and the global challenges it has the potential to address. A deep passion for quantum science and a strong belief in the power of collaboration have shaped the professional path of this remarkable woman in quantum since she was a young girl.
“When I was six, I decided I wanted to become a chemist – although at that age I didn’t really know what that meant! As an undergraduate student, I first learned that I hated experimental chemistry laboratories, and luckily, I quickly found out a course on quantum mechanics applied to chemistry and I said, this is it, this is what I want to learn more. I ended up doing a PhD in theoretical chemistry and molecular physics. From there, I worked as a researcher for several years. Aside to quantum, my other passion that has grown since my PhD years is collaboration. My PhD thesis was in cotutelle between two universities, in Quebec and in Paris, and I learned to build bridges between the two departments in chemistry and physics in two different countries. As a theorist, I was also involved in multi-country collaboration with experimentalists. Being exposed to different scientific cultures and different approaches to science was wonderful. That early exposure fueled my passion for collaboration and crafted my role and my career as a researcher, and led me to science diplomacy.”
Although 2035 is not really that far, quantum computing is still today in its infancy. The future is wide open, which means we have the unique opportunity to co-shape its path for the greater good. And everyone can be involved.
“To be involved in science diplomacy in action, like what we do at OQI in the field of quantum computing, you don’t necessarily need to be an expert in quantum. For non-experts, it’s an opportunity to stay informed about the scientific development and engage actively in framing the future through the dialogue and exchange between the scientists and decision-makers.”
While OQI focuses primarily on quantum computing, other emerging quantum technologies may also contribute to addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is essential for diplomats and organizations like GESDA to remain attentive to these developments. “My message for anyone is that what is important is to be curious, understand the importance of cooperation at the intersection of science and diplomacy. We have this great opportunity to bring quantum for the benefit of all humanity, the time is now to be active.”
What does it mean to be quantum-ready? In this new article, Mitra Azizirad (from Microsoft, a IYQ sponsor) shares why quantum computing matters for governments—and what steps to take now. Read the full blog on LinkedIn.
Today, 1st April 2025, the City of Göttingen is celebrated as a European Physical Society (EPS) Historic Site, recognising the contributions made by scientists working in the city to the foundation and development of Quantum Physics. On this occasion, the European Physical Society (EPS) along with its Member Societies, the Austrian Physical Society, Danish Physical Society, French Physical Society, Finnish Physical Society, German Physical Society, Institute of Physics (UK and Ireland), Italian Physical Society, Lithuanian Physical Society, Society of Physicists of Macedonia, Polish Physical Society, Spanish Royal Physical Society and the Swiss Physical Society also wish to look forward with a joint declaration on the future of Quantum Science.
Quantum Science remains a rapidly developing field, bringing with it new and unexpected results. Technologies based on these discoveries can change lives, address societal challenges, and drive scientific and economic progress.
The European Physical Society (EPS) is a not-for-profit association whose members include 42 National Physical Societies in Europe, individuals from all fields of physics, and European research institutions and physics-based companies. As a learned society, the EPS engages in activities that strengthen ties between physicists in Europe. As a federation of National Physical Societies, the EPS advocates for issues of common interest to all European countries relating to physics research, science policy, and education.
– Go to www.eps.org – EPS Contact: anne.pawsey@eps.org
Interestingly, if you ask this question to different scientists, you will likely get different answers. There are some connections between the different answers, but it will be easiest to start by just looking at one answer you might frequently get: One of the first uses of the word quantum in the quantum science context is in the phrase “light quanta,” the idea that there is something countable about light. This phrase is most easily understood in terms of the energy that light carries from one place to another.
Do you mean that if you step into the sunlight, you can feel it warming you?
Yes, exactly. The energy in the light comes from the sun, travels millions of kilometers through space, and hits your skin, warming it up. The longer you stand in the sunlight, the more energy your skin absorbs. In principle, this transfer of energy from the light to your skin could be continuous. Indeed, before quantum science, the generally accepted theory among scientists was that light energy could be continually transferred in any amount. But it turns out, this light energy is only transferred in tiny quanta – little pieces of energy. The common name of these light quanta you may already have heard, they’re called “photons.”
So, can you feel these photons when you’re being warmed by the sun?
Not individually, they’re so small that they’re imperceptible to us. However, we can now, thanks to our understanding of quantum mechanics, create instruments that do detect and count individual photons. As an analogy to understanding why you can’t feel individual photons, instead of thinking about light hitting your skin, think about water hitting it. If you put your hand under a running faucet or in a stream, you would feel water continually flowing, but if you go out in the rain, you would feel water hitting you in drops that are countable.
I’m not sure if I could actually count the number of raindrops hitting me when I’m standing in the rain.
It would be! The point is not whether we can actually find the number, but whether there is something we can count at all. In this case, a quantum of sand is a grain of sand. But now let me ask a trickier question, if we were on the beach and looked out at the water and I said, “count the water” what do I mean?
Maybe how many liters of water?
Yes, this would be challenging! Again, the point is not whether a person can actually calculate the correct number; it’s whether there is anything meaningful to count at all. Now if the raindrops became smaller and smaller and came faster and faster, eventually you would no longer be able to perceive that the water hitting you came in individual drops, it would start to seem like the continuous flow of water you perceive when you put your hand under a faucet or in a stream. The fact that there are countable drops would be hidden from your perception.
This reminds me of how a movie is just made up of a series of pictures; if the pictures are flashed before your eyes in quick succession, it doesn’t look like a series of pictures, but a continuous motion.
It’s a similar situation in that the discrete, countable nature of the pictures is hidden. When you’re watching a movie, it doesn’t seem like there is anything to count in the motion you’re seeing. In the same way, the rain with very small drops might seem like a continuous flow of water and the sunlight energy warming your skin doesn’t appear to have anything countable about it. These quanta of sunlight energy are very well hidden from our usual perception of the world. This is kind of a hallmark of quantum science – finding out that things that don’t seem to have anything countable about them do, in fact, have a countable “quantum” aspect to them.
In trying to think about these light quanta of energy in the sunlight, these photons, is each quantum of energy the same size?
No. In the same way that raindrops or grains of sand can come in different sizes, the photon energies can have different sizes. However, there is a very nice fact about photon size related to the fact that any light can be thought of as being made up of a combination of different colors of light.
Yes, I’ve seen how you can send light through a prism of glass that breaks it up into its different colors.
Exactly, or like a rainbow, which you can see when sunlight is broken up into its constituent colors by raindrops. So, it turns out that each specific color of light has its own size of photons. All red light of a particular type – more technically of a particular wavelength or frequency – transmits energy in quanta of the same size. Similarly, all blue light of a particular type has energy quanta of the same size. Photons of blue light are larger than photons of red light, and photons of yellow light are bigger than red light but smaller than blue light. The order of colors of a rainbow from red to violet gives the size of photons from smallest to largest.
Now I’m picturing how, when I’m standing in the sunlight, my skin is absorbing these different-sizedlight quanta, each corresponding to different colors.
In fact, in addition to the visible colors, sunlight also contains light that we can’t see with our eyes. One type of this light is “ultraviolet” or UV light. This light actually has larger energy photons than the visible light. The size of these photons is quite relevant to us because when they hit our skin, they can do the most damage to it biologically; it’s the large photons of UV light that cause sunburns and can increase one’s chance of getting skin cancer.
So even though this quantum nature of light is quite hidden from our perception, it actually has some serious consequences for us. One more question in thinking about all these very small, different-sized photons being absorbed by our skin when light hits us: if there’s a countable number of them, how many are hitting us?
That will depend somewhat on the person and the light, but an average person standing in the sun is going to have around one billion trillion photons hit their skin each second. That’s a one with 21 zeros: 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 each second.
My goodness, that’s a large number!
It’s a number you can write down, but certainly couldn’t count to! It is a fascinating aspect to understand about the common experience of standing in sunlight that no one knew existed until the advent of quantum science. It’s something to ponder next time you’re being warmed by the sun.
Written by Paul Cadden-Zimansky, Associate Professor of Physics at Bard College and a Global Coordinator of IYQ.
IYQ mascot, Quinnie, was created by Jorge Cham, aka PHD Comics, in collaboration with Physics Magazine. All rights reserved.
An Editorial from Physical Review X Quantum Announcing the Launch of the IYQ Collection
In the summer of 1925, on the windswept island of Helgoland, a young Werner Heisenberg outlined matrix equations that would forever change our understanding of nature. Concurrent work by Erwin Schrödinger, who postulated a complementary wave-equation theory and showed its equivalence to Heisenberg’s matrix formalism, helped the scientific community to gradually embrace the counterintuitive concepts faced at the time. Together, these revolutionary principles became the cornerstone of quantum mechanics—a theory that, over the next century, would face relentless scrutiny [1] and ultimately serve as the foundation for technologies capable of manipulating single atoms and photons [2,3]. Today, as the world witnesses the development of quantum computers and grapples with their implications [4], UNESCO has declared 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.
To celebrate this milestone, APS and the Physical Review journals reflect on their shared journey with quantum science—one of breathtaking discoveries and transformative ideas [5]. But what role does a young journal like PRX Quantum play in this momentous celebration?
Any historian would argue that understanding the past is essential to shaping the future. At PRX Quantum, we constantly seek breakthroughs that redefine boundaries and open new frontiers. To honor 100 years of quantum mechanics, we present a special collection. This begins with a historical perspective [6] that explores the intricate dance between fundamental science and its technological offspring. Building on this perspective, we examined our recent publications and selected a handful of papers that offer a glimpse into the future of the field.
The path to realizing century-old thought experiments—once likened by Schrödinger to endeavors as silly as trying to raise Ichthyosauria in the zoo—required countless ingenious technical and conceptual breakthroughs. This fascinating journey is captured in Prof. Haroche’s captivating article [6], which highlights the central role lasers have played in quantum science.
As Prof. Haroche notes, we are now witnessing a renaissance of research on Rydberg atoms. Quantum computing with neutral atoms, prominently featured in our recent publications, is poised to significantly influence the field in the coming years. Remarkably, the laser’s offspring, optical tweezers [7,8], have emerged as a ubiquitous tool driving many breakthroughs in this arena. We highlight techniques to assemble atom-arrays [9], an architecture to effectively build a large-scale fault-tolerant quantum computer [10], and strategies to achieve record-high performances [11]. In concert, those results show a compelling path forward.
Superconducting qubits [12], a cornerstone of many quantum computing architectures, arose as an alternative system that drew heavily from the successes of cavity QED with atomic systems. They offer superior speed and practicality owing to their integration into standard microwave electronics. While transmons remain the dominant paradigm for superconducting qubits, there is growing interest in a related cousin, the fluxonium qubit. With its exceptional coherence and high anharmonicity, offering greater flexibility in circuit design, fluxonium holds significant promise. We anticipate exciting developments in this area [13,14].
The quantum landscape is vast, offering a playground of platforms and physical systems for exploring fundamental questions or pursuing specific applications. While it’s impossible to cover all such pathways, Prof. Haroche’s article inspired us to highlight the latest advances in integrated photonics [15], given the pivotal role of optics in quantum research. After all, photons enabled the violation of Bell’s inequalities, showcasing one of quantum mechanics’ most distinguishing features [16–18]. Likewise, optical cooling and trapping have led to some of the most striking demonstrations of quantum statistical principles, most notably the emergence of Bose-Einstein condensates [19,20]. We couldn’t resist offering a glance at the latest developments in controlled quantum chemistry with ultracold polar molecules [21].
In previous decades, the focus was on controlling individual quantum systems. Today’s challenges lie in managing interactions, scaling up system sizes, and verifying the status of large quantum systems or operations. Another trend observed in our journal is the development of theoretical tools for efficient tomography [22], and explorations on how to best bring together quantum processing and machine learning within formalized computer science theories [23].
Several fundamental questions remain about the key ingredients, and correct mix, needed to make a processor truly quantum—or, conversely, one that can be efficiently simulated classically [24]. Our journal reflects on the ongoing flurry of innovative algorithms, smart architectural choices, and hybrid techniques that steadily advance the overarching goal of fault-tolerant quantum computing. Adaptive quantum circuits is one such example. By leveraging mid-circuit measurements and feedforward, a promising approach shows how to efficiently prepare many-body entangled states even on low-depth near-term hardware [25].
Error correction plays a pivotal role in strengthening the quantum community’s confidence towards the feasibility of building a large-scale quantum machine [26,27]. Its history is just as fascinating as it was decisive in boosting worldwide investment in quantum science and technology. Research in this fast-paced area spans a vast spectrum, from highly mathematical and abstract code design to hardware-integrated and engineering-driven solutions. As a small glimpse into recent developments, we highlight three outstanding contributions: an ingenious implementation of the hallmark Steane code on ion traps [28]; a protocol that simplifies the implementation of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes [29]—a resource-efficient alternative to surface codes; and a fundamental study that draws inspiration from topological error correction to deepen our understanding of phases of matter [30].
As has been long put forward by Shannon, key concepts in information theory are deeply connected with notions in thermodynamics, such as entropy. The connection between these fields—and the role of knowledge in thermodynamics—has a rich history [31], with a notable example being the resolution of Maxwell’s demon paradox [32]. At the same time, quantum mechanics is fundamentally a science of information. We couldn’t conclude this collection without highlighting the fascinating ideas emerging at the intersection of these disciplines. Recent advances in quantum thermodynamics further strengthen this connection, linking concepts from computational complexity to the study of the cost of thermal operations [33]. These costs have profound implications for quantum technologies [34] and are also tied to fundamental precision bounds, as demonstrated by a novel methodology that examines trade-offs in nonequilibrium Markovian open quantum systems [35].
Many discoveries arise from unexpected connections. We hope this curated collection sparks inspiration and insight—whether through the experimental and theoretical methods it showcases or the conceptual ideas it advances. This collection is but a snapshot, capturing some of the most compelling research published on our pages in recent months. The scope of PRX Quantum and quantum research extends far beyond what we could include here. The forest of quantum science consists of many trees and there is much fruit to be harvested in its varied branches, such as quantum sensors, metrology, and communications, which we leave for future spotlights. We eagerly anticipate the breakthroughs you will make in these and other areas, shaping the next decade of quantum science and technology.
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Among multiple tests, the very linearity of Shrödinger’s equations has been experimentally verified as shown here: J. J. Bollinger, D. J. Heinzen, Wayne M. Itano, S. L. Gilbert, and D. J. Wineland, Test of the linearity of quantum mechanics by rf spectroscopy of the 9Be+ ground state, Phys. Rev. Lett. 63, 1031 (1989).
Serge Haroche, Nobel lecture: Controlling photons in a box and exploring the quantum to classical boundary, Rev. Mod. Phys. 85, 1083 (2013).
David J. Wineland, Nobel lecture: Superposition, entanglement, and raising Schrödinger’s cat, Rev. Mod. Phys. 85, 1103 (2013).
See a collection of Quantum Milestones published by Physics Magazine throughout 2025, and an upcoming collection on quantum foundations organized by the Physical Review journals.
A. Ashkin, J. M. Dziedzic, J. E. Bjorkholm, and Steven Chu, Observation of a single-beam gradient force optical trap for dielectric particles, Opt. Lett. 11, 288 (1986).
M. A. Norcia, H. Kim, W. B. Cairncross, M. Stone, A. Ryou, M. Jaffe, M. O. Brown, K. Barnes, P. Battaglino, T. C. Bohdanowicz et al., Iterative Assembly of 171Yb Atom Arrays with Cavity-Enhanced Optical Lattices, PRX Quantum 5, 030316 (2024).
Yiyi Li and Jeff D. Thompson, High-rate and high-fidelity modular interconnects between neutral atom quantum processors, PRX Quantum 5, 020363 (2024).
R. B.-S. Tsai, X. Sun, A. L. Shaw, R. Finkelstein, and M. Endres, Benchmarking and fidelity response theory of high-fidelity Rydberg entangling gates, PRX Quantum 6, 010331 (2025).
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Edinburgh, Thursday 13th March 2025. The Brilliant Poetry Competition is back for its second year, celebrating the rich connections between science and poetry. Following the success of the inaugural competition, which drew 375 entries from 36 countries, the 2025 edition aims to be even more ambitious, fostering creative exploration of quantum themes.
The initiative is led by Professor Sam Illingworth, science poetry academic at Edinburgh Napier University, and Kylie Ahern, publisher of The Brilliant – a world-leading science communication platform – and CEO of STEM Matters.
This year, the competition proudly aligns with the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ 2025), marking a century since the foundations of quantum mechanics. Poets are invited to engage with the wonders of quantum science, alongside any other scientific themes that inspire them.
A Platform for Science-Inspired Poetry
“The best poetry, like the best science, is about curiosity, observation, and making sense of the world in new ways,” said Professor Sam Illingworth. “Brilliant (Quantum) Poetry is a space for writers to explore science with both wonder and precision, creating work that resonates across disciplines.”
“We were astounded by the emotional depth and creative ingenuity in last year’s entries,” said Kylie Ahern. “The links between the arts and sciences are undeniable – both demand innovation, imagination, and a deep engagement with the unknown. We cannot wait to see how poets bring quantum science and other fields to life through verse.”
Meet the Judges
This year’s competition features an esteemed panel of judges, including Diego Golombek, an internationally recognised biologist, science communicator, and award-winning author. Golombek, who has long championed the intersection of science and culture, brings a unique perspective to evaluating work that bridges scientific thought with poetic expression.
Prizes and Key Dates
The Brilliant (Quantum) Poetry Competition is free to enter and open to writers worldwide.
Submissions open: 21 March 2025 (World Poetry Day)
Deadline: 20 June 2025
Prizes: £1,000 for first place, £500 for second, £250 for third. Winning poems will be published and featured in a live online reading event.
For further information:
Europe Professor Sam Illingworth, Edinburgh Napier University 📞 +44 (0) 7886 238 517 📧 S.Illingworth@napier.ac.uk
2025 is The International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. Let’s start by asking what does this word “quantum” mean?
That’s a good starting question. In general, the word “quantum” means “something you can count.” It’s from a Latin word and is the same root as is found in words like “quantity” and “quantify.” A “quantum” is a single thing you can count and the plural “quanta” are things you can count. The question is: When you look at something, is it possible to count it?
Can you give an example?
Sure. If we looked at a stadium crowd and I said, “count the crowd,” how would you understand this request?
Well, I would assume you meant count the people in the crowd.
Exactly. In this case, the quanta – the things you are counting – would be people. Similarly, if we looked at a beach and I said, “count the sand” what would you think I mean?
I guess I would think you meant counting the grains of sand – but this sounds very difficult!
It would be! The point is not whether we can actually find the number, but whether there is something we can count at all. In this case, a quantum of sand is a grain of sand. But now let me ask a trickier question, if we were on the beach and looked out at the water and I said, “count the water” what do I mean?
Maybe how many liters of water?
It’s less clear of a request, isn’t it? In the case of liters, we can always develop some agreed upon unit of measure like this with which to count things. When I asked about counting sand, you could have interpreted this to mean counting the number of liters of sand or kilograms of sand. But these units of measure are a bit arbitrary, instead of liters or kilograms, one could count in gallons or pounds or tons. They’re agreed-upon conventions that could be changed. A quantum means something less arbitrary, an indivisible thing to count that wouldn’t depend on an arbitrary measurement standard.
Then for counting water, would you mean counting the molecules of water?
Yes, a molecule of water would be a more appropriate quantum of water. It’s the smallest, indivisible unit of water that you could have. Of course, it would be even more challenging to count molecules of water than grains of sand.
You can’t even see the water molecules to count them!
Precisely, and this gets us closer to understanding how the word quantum is being used in the phrase “quantum science.” From our perspective, the water looks continuous, as though you could keep dividing it into smaller and smaller drops. It’s not at all obvious that there is the smallest piece of water. The word quantum started being used by scientists to refer to a few cases where it looked as though something was continuous or infinitely dividable, but it turned out that there is something countable about it.
Is the fact that water is made up of countable water molecules, or that things more generally are made up of atoms that we could count, an example of quantum science?
Surprisingly, no. The idea that things are made of atoms is one that goes back thousands of years, and the modern understanding that there are different chemical elements, each with their own type of atom, is around 200 years old. These are very important ideas and they do make a claim about matter being made up of countable pieces, but they are not the quanta that are being referred to in quantum science. This is a rather confusing point, since it is the case that quantum science is widely used to understand details about atoms and molecules, but it’s not the case that the word “quantum” in this context refers to the fact that atoms and molecules are countable things. Rather, the word quantum started being used a bit over 100 years ago to refer to other cases where things that seemed continuous or infinitely dividable turned out to have a countable aspect to them.
Written by Paul Cadden-Zimansky, Associate Professor of Physics at Bard College and a Global Coordinator of IYQ.
IYQ mascot, Quinnie, was created by Jorge Cham, aka PHD Comics, in collaboration with Physics Magazine. All rights reserved.
