微软亚洲研究院演讲系列：量子力学的奇妙故事

KimRicketts:MynameisKimRicketts,andI'mheretointroduceandwelcomeJamesKakalios,whoisvisitingusaspartoftheMicrosoftResearchvisitorresearchseries.Jamesisheretodaytodiscusshisnewbook,TheAmazingStoryofQuantumMechanics.Sciencehasmetmoredemandsofsciencefictionthanmostpeoplerealize,thankstoquantummechanics.Thoughwedon'tseetheworldoftheJetsonswithflyingcars,peoplegettingtoworkbyjetpackorStarTrek'steleporters,yet,wedohavesmartphones,pocket-sizecomputersandhybridvehicles.Becauseofquantummechanics,wemayalsoseemanymoresciencefictiontechnologiesbecomeareality.JamesisaprofessorintheSchoolofPhysicsandAstronomyattheUniversityofMinnesota.HeservedasaconsultantforthefilmWatchmenandwonaregionalEmmyAwardforhisroleintheScienceofWatchmen.HeistheauthorofthecriticallyacclaimedThePhysicsofSuperheroes.SopleasejoinmeinwelcomingJamesKakaliostoMicrosoft.[applause].JamesKakalios:Thankyouverymuch.Thankyoufortheintroduction.Thankyouallverymuchforinvitingmeandwelcomingme.ImustsaytheworkingtitleofmynewbookoriginallywastheWorldOfTomorrowandsoit'skindofapleasuretocomehere,seetheguysresponsibleforthat.ActuallyMicrosoftseemstobefollowingme.TwoweeksagoIwasinNewYorkforsomemediaeventsandwalkingaroundTimesSquareatnightseeingthesehugethrongsofpeoplelinedup.Andwhatimposeareconcertaretheygoingto?No,they'rewaitingfortheConnecttogoonsaleatmidnight.SoIassumethatyoujustlikegiveoneouttothespeakers,but[laughter].SoIwanttotalkabouttheTheAmazingStoryofQuantumMechanics,mynewbook.Firstletmegiveyoualittlebitofbackground.Howdidamild-manneredphysicsprofessorgetassociatedwithcomicbooksuperheroes,Spider-Man,SupermaninmydayjobI'macondensedmatterexperimentalistthoughIdobasicallysolidstatephysics.I'vebeendoingthisforover20years.Doingresearchonamorphoussemiconductors,youknow,thisisamorphoussiliconusedinsolarcellsorflatpaneldisplays.Donefilmtransistors.I'vedonealotofworkonstudyingelectronicnoiseinthesematerials.ForabouttenyearsIstudiedsandpiles.Sandwasquitehotinphysicsthereforawhile.Wecallitgranularmediawhenwetalktothefundingagencies.[laughter].Andmostrecentlycollaboratingwithprofessorsinneurosciencesusingtechniquesthatdevelopedasemielectronicnoiseintosortedsemiconductorsandapplyingthemtovoltagefluctuationsinthebrain.Butthat'snotwhyI'mhere.I'mherebecausebackin2001IcreatedafreshmanseminarclassatthattimeUniversityofMinnesotacalledeverythingIknowaboutscienceIlearnedfromreadingcomicbooks.Whichmycolleaguessaidexplainedalot.[laughter].ThisisareallyphysicsclassthatcoverseverythingfromIsaacNewtontothetransistor,butthere'snotaninclineplaneorpulleyinsight.Alltheexamplescomefromsuperherocomicbooksandasmuchaspossiblethosecaseswherethesuperheroesgettheirphysicsright.Now,obviously,youknow,thesuperpowersthemselvesareimpossible,butonceyougrantaonetimemiracleexemptionfromthelawsofnature,whatthey'reshowingdoingwiththeirpowersisscientificallycorrect.IshowedthiscoverherebecausethisisactuallyacomicthatIboughtasakid,eventhoughIwasn'tabigfanofSupermanatthetimebecauseSupermanisherevisitingacollegecampusandIwasjustfascinatedtofindoutwhatlifeincollegewasgoingtobelike.Evenasakid,backinthe'60sIknewthatthispartwasn'ttooaccurate.Buttherearethingshereonthecoverthat,youknow,asyouallknowturnouttobecorrect,namelyallprofessorsatalltimesalwayswearcapsandgowns.[laughter].Andallprofessorsare800yearoldwhitemen.ButfromthisclasstheninMayof2002,IwroteanopedthatwaspublishedintheMinneapolisStarTribunepointingouthowakeysceneinaclassicSpider-MancomicbookturnsouttobeatextbookillustrationofNewton'slawsofmotion.Ithought,well,theSpider-Manmovieisabouttoopen,thefirstone.Andsothismightbeagoodopportunitytogetsomescienceintothenewspaper.TheUniversityofMinnesotaputoutalittlepressreleasesaying,well,Spider-Man'sonthebigscreenbutifyouwanttoknowaboutthescienceofsuperheroes,thepersontoaskisJimKakalios,heteachesthisfreshmanseminar,blah,blah,blah.Ishouldpointoutthatthey'vesentoutpressreleasesaboutmebefore,aboutmyworkonamorphoussemi-conductorsoroneoverFnoise.Result?Zero.YouwriteonestoryaboutSpider-Man,however,andthemovieopenedonFriday,theonendappearedonFriday.BymoneywasgettingcallsfromtheBBC,theLondontimes,CNNHeadlineNews,theAssociatedPresscametomyofficewhereIjusthappenedtohavetheselecturedemonstrationtoolsonhand.[laughter].Thatwasaluckybreak.Atthisstageofmylife,I'vereconciledmyselftothefactthatIcanwinthreemobileprizesandIknowwhatphotothey'reusinginmyobituary.Mycolleaguessaywinthreemobilepriceslikehow,oneBay?Thisarticleactuallywentacrossthenation.ThisisaclippingfromtheChicagoSunTimes.Itactuallywentaroundtheworld.IthinkIknowwhatthey'resayingaboutmehere.InaTurkishclipping.AndthenIstartedshowingupinplacesthatphysicistsdon'tusuallyappear.Soifyou'reeverplayingTrivialPursuitandyou'replayingvolumesixandyougetcard291,I'lltellyourightthesciencequestion,theanswerisKrypton's.Thequestioniswhatplanet'sgravitydidscienceprofessorJimKakaliosestimatebycalculatingtheforceneededtoleapoveranearthbuildinginasinglebound?Now,Ididn'tevenknowaboutthis.Oneofthegraduatestudentscametomeonedayandshowedmethiscard,broughtthistomyattention.Iborrowedthecard,brough