Home » Quantum physics for everyone, with videogames and cartoons

Quantum physics for everyone, with videogames and cartoons

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We enter the lair of the White Rabbit. Thus begins the adventure, the descent into a world where the rules we know do not apply, the experience of reality is a story to be lived leaving everything else behind. QPlayLearn was born to tell and understand quantum physics to everyone, developed by researchers from the Finnish Universities of Turku, Helsinki and Aalto. A new platform (for now all in English) dedicated to outreach, to scientific dissemination for students of all ages, but not only, of one of the most ‘difficult’ sectors of contemporary science, which has revolutionized the understanding of the subject and reality. At the head of the team that created the architecture of this instrument is an Italian, Sabrina Maniscalco, professor of quantum physics at the University of Helsinki and at Aalto University: “My group and I have a strong passion for physics quantum and the desire to share it – explains a Republic – we asked ourselves what was the best way to communicate scientific results. This led us to think about the variety of types of human intelligence, if for a slice of the population, even a small one, the logical-mathematical approach is natural, for others visual and aesthetic intelligence are prevalent “.

QPlayLearn is designed to enter the tunnel that leads from macro to micro, through different paths. The game, developed to involve through interaction, immersing oneself in the ‘weird’ reality of subatomic particles. Perceiving the counterintuitive, moving in a world that has its own rules, in which the same suspension of disbelief that we experience with a science fiction film or video game is activated: “The mechanism is that of the intuitive approach, what is understood by playing then remains “underlines Maniscalco.

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With the game you learn basic concepts, such as the “discrete” energy levels of electrons

If explaining these things is difficult, for gamification it is necessary to rely on those who have imagination, inspiration and skills to be effective. In this came the contribution of the Finnish game jam association, which organizes some kind of non-competitive hackatons, in which programmers are called to develop games based, in this case, on quantum physics: “They are a source of great creativity and fun – the physics continues – the last game jam in attendance was held in Helsinki in 2019, the graphic designer of Angry birds also participated, in 2020 we made one in Pisa but for reasons related to Covid it was held completely online “.

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The task of the researchers was to provide material, explanations, scientifically accurate but within everyone’s reach. The rest was done by the imagination, which gave life to labyrinths in which the keys to the doors disappear as soon as they are “observed”, while in the battle between the two robots Phi and Delta (similar to bb8 of Star Wars) explains the functioning of the electron energy and the statistical probability of the measurement, the goal is to fry one of the two while threateningly approaches, or the qubit (the fundamental building block of quantum computing, analogue of the bit) and the entanglement explained with cards, making a solitaire with bizarre rules, and with an app developed for this purpose: “Quantum physics, to be grasped, requires a lot of imagination, as Feynman said, which we lose in adulthood – says Marilù Chiofalo , Professor of Matter Physics at the University of Pisa, who provided contributions to the platform – we noticed that there is great difficulty in recounting these discoveries which are and will be increasingly important in the future “.

Entanglement explained in a cartoon with the marriage of two particles

To make us understand what is counterintuitive requires images. In addition to the videogame, the explanation of some basic principles of quantum physics, such as entanglement (the relationship between two particles, which is represented as a marriage, and which is maintained so that by measuring one you also know the ‘state’ of the other ) is entrusted to “quantum pills”, cartoons created by a startup, Vis (Virtual immersion in science srl) spinoff of the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa.

It goes by degrees, by ways of learning. Each topic is addressed, as well as in an interactive and visual way, even for short, more technical lessons. In the “Discover” part, several teachers, still using metaphors and logical processes, explain with short videos what happens when we try to measure a particle, whose speed or position escapes us from time to time. Accompanied by more comprehensive explanations, using logic and mathematics intended, for example, for high school students. Finally, the “learn” section, where you enter the ‘hard’ heart of quantum physics, intended for those who chew the necessary mathematics and logic: “You choose a key concept and explore it – observes Chiofalo – the professors treat it as if they had to explain it to their grandparents. There are different depths of reading. The child reads things to us, the university students read others “. There will also soon be a tutorial and the possibility to start learning programming with a quantum computer with few qbits, thanks to the contribution of IBM.

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Simone Cosimi



The platform is completely free, the contents can be used under a Creative commons license, and intended, as we have seen, for a very wide audience. “We already have a plan to work with those involved in pedagogy to extend teaching to even younger children, up to primary school, and their families – adds Maniscalco – usually with disclosure we reach the enthusiastic and curious, but we think it is important for our society to increase scientific education so that more and more informed choices are made “. In the meantime, QPlayLearn will continue to grow, say the two scientists, with new contents and, in the future, also the translation into the “mother” languages ​​of its creators: Italian and English.

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The business side of it all sounds just as interesting. QPlayLearn offers companies the opportunity to train their employees, prepare to understand, manage and use a technology that will revolutionize information technology and, with it, much of the economy in the coming years. To manage this part is Algorithmiq, a startup of which Sabrina Maniscalco herself is CEO. The Finnish government has co-financed the acquisition of a quantum computer by VTT, a state-owned research company, with 21 million euros. VTT is creating a forum of companies wishing to become quantum ready, and Algorithmiq will offer its courses for the training of these companies: “We develop software for quantum computers – he explains – in particular for quantum chemistry and drug development, which can do great strides in the development of new medicines also for precision medicine.In QPlayLearn we offer high-level courses dedicated to companies such as banks, pharmaceutical industries, or those who develop self-driving vehicles, who want to prepare their employees and be quantum ready. With the presence of training experts for companies along with physicists and researchers. It is a question of creating the skills and software in time to use the hardware that is about to become available, quantum computers are witnessing a very rapid growth. The second quantum revolution (after what happened a hundred years ago) it has already begun “.

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