A quantum scientist and author of best-selling books for babies on the same subject, Chris Ferrie can make even the most mind-bending science feel like child's play.
Chris Ferrie is a theoretical physicist, science communicator, author and father of four. His day job is academic research, where he follows his curiosity through the world of quantum physics. He has a passion a for communicating science to people of truly all ages, including babies.
By day, Chris is an associate professor at the University of Technology Sydney and Centre for Quantum Software and Information.
He is also the author of the successful Baby University series, including the breakout success Quantum Physics for Babies, which has sold worldwide and even been cited in numerous scientific papers.
FirstPrinciples: What compels you to tackle fundamental questions for which the answers are so elusive?
Chris Ferrie: I am driven by curiosity and an inherent need to understand the world around me. When faced with big, fundamental questions, I find it irresistible to break them down into smaller, more manageable parts. As Albert Einstein said, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” This process of dissecting complex issues carries one deeper and deeper until the foundation is hit, and one ends up tackling fundamental questions as an inevitability. Once the question is posed, it's nearly impossible to give up on it, regardless of how elusive the answer might seem.
FP: Why do you focus specifically on quantum learning?
CF: Niels Bohr said it is "wrong to think that the task of physics is to find out how nature is. Physics concerns what we can say about nature.” This pragmatic view is often seen as defeatist, but it's as empowering as it is honest and insightful. There's enough we don't understand about what we can say about nature before we need to speculate on a hypothetical, unobservable reality.
Quantum physics accurately describes our interactions with the world, which is essentially an active learning process. Serendipitously, studying the ultimate limits imposed by quantum physics in the efficiency of acquiring information teaches us about what realities we can construct to describe nature. I want to know what I am permitted to say about nature from a principled perspective.
FP: What do you find most surprising or amazing about our universe?
CF: What amazes me the most is the mere fact that the universe exists! Despite our advancements, the question of why there is anything at all may remain forever impossible to answer. It underscores the true beauty of scientific inquiry, reminding us of the exciting journey of discovery that lies ahead.
That not all questions have answers should be seen as a gift.
FP: What keeps you up at night?
CF: Actually, I sleep quite well! I firmly believe in the importance of a good night's sleep. Quality rest is crucial for maintaining my health and mental sharpness. I see sleep as an essential tool that helps me think more clearly and creatively, allowing me to tackle the challenges of the next day more effectively. My mind is overactive for two-thirds of the day, and that's largely powered by equally intense rest during the remainder.
I suspect this question was not meant to be read so literally, but my overarching point is that it's important to turn off the worry, concern, or obsession — if only to ensure you can address it when you're at your best.
FP: What discovery or advance do you hope to witness (or be part of) in your lifetime?
Not in my own research, but I am particularly hopeful about understanding the origins of life on Earth. Not only would this be fascinating and surely lead to some awesome David Attenborough documentaries, but it seems practically achievable.
Darwin famously that "there is grandeur in this view of life... from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved." To see his quest completed, to recreate the most complex process in the known universe would be profound and practical, likely helping us understand just how rare we are.
Read Chris Ferrie's article for FirstPrinciples, "Quantum Supremacy vs. Quantum Advantage."
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