Archive - Physicus Minimus

Here you can find an overview of all my already published blog posts.
Have fun browsing!

2023

28.12. - Advanced alchemy: Why are fireworks colourful?
New Year's Eve is approaching and with it the uncontrolled detonation of dangerous explosives. But they light up colourfully and bang loudly, so we don't care for this one night of the year. But how do the colours get into the fireworks? There is actually quantum physics hidden in something as mundane and huge as a firework display.
08.12. - Nobel Prize 2023: Of sexy anchovies and short films
As I do every year, I followed the Nobel Prize ceremony with great interest! You've probably already had time to take a look at the prize winners and their topics. Nevertheless, I would like to give you an overview of what it was all about, why it is important and what was so special about this year's prizes. We will also take a look at a prize that is almost even more beautiful than its role model: the Ig Nobel Prize in Physics.
27.08. - Feynman and his bongos: 10 things you missed in “Oppenheimer”
Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" has made physics sexy again. For me, the film was an absolute highlight because many great physicists of the 20th century and quantum mechanics made guest appearances – gold for a fangirl like me! I went to the cinema with my physicist friends and afterwards, we discussed who we recognised. But there were also some details in the film that perhaps not everyone noticed or that there was more to them than meets the eye. That's why I'm sharing ten things with you today that you may have missed in Oppenheimer.
01.07. - Quanta are watching you: The Measurement Problem in Quantum Mechanics
Quanta are sensitive little beings. Under the influence of peer pressure, they behave completely differently when someone is watching. Quantum mechanical measurements behave completely differently from classical measurements, i.e. the ones we know from everyday life. That's what we're going to talk about today: The pitfalls and subtleties of quantum mechanical measurement – and why they are so fascinating!
21.05. - Quanta are watching you: The Observer Effect
I recently read the book "The Circle" by Dave Eggers. It's about a Facebook-Twitter-like Internet company called "The Circle" that wants to create complete transparency and networking – privacy, unfortunately, falls by the wayside. The quote above is by one of the Circle bosses and he uses it to justify his ubiquitous surveillance. I am sure that we would all answer this question affirmatively. We behave differently under surveillance than when we are alone. So does that mean that pure observation influences our behaviour?
20.02. - Quantum simulation: Why we don’t teach mice to fly
It may surprise you: quantum technology is more than just quantum computing. I like to get upset that quantum technology is often equated with quantum computing because there are many ways to improve technology using quantum physics. Here, I want to talk about quantum computing’s big, modest sister: quantum simulation. They are closely related, and…

2022

09.10. - Noble Entanglement
As Andy Williams sang: It's the most wonderful time of the year! No, not Christmas – the Nobel Prizes were awarded! This year, the Nobel Prize Committee had a special gift for us: A Nobel Prize for Quantum Physics! Exactly 10 years after the last big Nobel Prize was awarded to the quantum physicists Serge Haroche and David Wineland. No question that we have to take a closer look.
22.09. - How many calories does a black hole have?
I think it's worth it to look at the little phenomena sometimes, to find the wow moments in everyday life and to ask yourself silly questions sometimes. You guessed it: The other day I had such a stupid question in my head. I was sitting in a café eating an excellent chocolate tartlet. The logical thought that came to me as I ate was: what is the food with the most calories? Does that even exist?
10.06. - Academic self-defence – the disputation
It's over! Six months after submitting my doctoral thesis, 5 years after starting my doctorate, 10.5 years after my first day at university - doctor rerum naturalium! The end boss is defeated, the disputation is over! And of course, I want to share with you what this defence is all about, how I prepared for it and also how disputations can differ from one another.
08.03. - #BreakTheBias – Women can do physics
It's 8th of March and that means: it's International Women's Day! In Berlin, it's even a public holiday! This year's motto is #BreakTheBias - for a world free of stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination. As a woman in physics, you can be sure that I can say something about this subject. Today, I don't want to feed you too many numbers (there are plenty on the web), but rather tell you about my own personal experiences.
22.02. - The Stern-Gerlach Experiment – A history of stubbornness
Even scientists are only human. That's why success stories often read like a comic book: great heroes fighting for the good of humanity. From another perspective, however, it sometimes seems more like the nagging of old white men arguing over who is right. We have already seen a few examples of this: Boltzmann and Planck fighting over entropy, Thomson and Rutherford decoding the atom, Newton and the rest of the world racking their brains over the nature of light. And the Stern-Gerlach experiment, which celebrated its hundredth anniversary this month and which is a milestone of quantum physics, was ultimately the invention of a scientist who desperately wanted to be right.
31.01. - Schrödinger’s Tardigrade
Polar ice, the moon, the quantum world - what do these places have in common? There is no Wi-Fi? Possibly. It's uncomfortable? Probably. They are uninhabited? Not at all! All these places have (allegedly) already been seen by a certain living being. Sometimes by choice, sometimes by design, sometimes by accident. What kind of creature is it that hangs around in such exotic, hostile places? It is small, chubby and it's name: Tardigrade! In 2014, tardigrades were found in the Arctic that had been "hibernating" for over 30 years. Since a crash landing of an Israeli space probe in 2019, a few tardigrades have been lying on the moon. And according to a group of researchers, tardigrades have now also made the leap into the quantum world! But is that really true?

2021

23.12. - Superluminal Elf Radio
Santa's gift tour is a headache for children every year: How does he manage to visit every child in the world in a single night? But Santa's travel speed is not the only problem. I wonder: how does he know if the child whose chimney, balcony or front door he is standing in front of has been naughty or nice? Does he carry around the naughty-nice-list in paper form? Is he in radio contact with the North Pole? Or does he have a completely different method? We will ask the question: Is communication faster than the speed of light possible?
30.11. - Science Slam – Battle of the Nerds
I am the German Vice-Champion in Science Slam 2021! I'm really happy and think this is a great opportunity to take you with me into the world of the Science Slam. Hopefully, I can answer some of the most frequently asked questions about Science Slam and maybe I can motivate some of you to venture on stage and share your hard-earned research with the world.
29.10. - A whiff of stress – the doctoral thesis
It's been a bit quiet on my blog for the last few months, but finally I have some good news: my thesis is finished! Yippee yay, it's done! Today I want to review the process with you, tell you about my experiences, think a bit outside the box and tell you why it's not over yet.
30.08. - From Physicus Minimus to Physicus Maximus
Facebook surprised me this week with a reminder: seven years ago, I submitted my Bachelor's thesis. Seven years - time flies! And almost exactly seven years later, I'll be handing in my doctoral thesis. I'm in the absolute final sprint right now (keep your fingers crossed for me). I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for a little review: What has changed in the last seven years? What was the path like from the Bachelor's degree, through the Master's, into the doctoral studies, (almost) all the way to the Ph.D.? Am I really smarter now than seven years ago?
20.06. - Doctor-What? Career fair with Dr. Doom, Dr. No and Co.
My PhD is slowly coming to an end and I thought this is the perfect time to take you to the heart of the matter. In my series "How to PhD", I would like to show you different aspects of my life as a physics PhD student, and today I'm getting down to the nitty-gritty: What exactly does it mean to do a PhD? What exactly do I have to do to get it? And also in the context of the current #IchBinHanna debate in Germany: Is this all above board?
13.05. - FAQ: Quantum Computer
Everyone is talking about quantum computers. Do you sometimes feel like you've missed the boat and no longer dare to ask how a quantum computer actually works and what it's supposed to be good for? Then my blog series "FAQ: Quantum Computer" is for you! Many news articles on quantum computing do not (or no longer) go into sufficient detail about the new quantum machines, which quickly leads to misunderstandings and confusion. I have gone into the details of the "miracle machines" in three articles. Here you will find an overview of the questions I have tried to answer - including a short version of the answer.
25.04. - FAQ: Quantum Computer – From classical to quantum computer
The quantum computer as the holy grail: with it everything will be better, everything will be faster, unsolvable problems will become child's play, banks beware - your encryption is finished! Is that really the case? In what are quantum computers really better than classical computers and in what are they perhaps not? In my series "FAQ: Quantum Computers" series, I try to clear up common misconceptions and erase question marks. This is the last part of the series and it's about the differences between classical and quantum computers.
14.03. - FAQ: Quantum Computer – From Qubit to Quantum Computer
Many articles on quantum computing are rushing quite a lot. "A qubit can be in the states 0 and 1 at the same time, and that's why quantum computers are better than classical ones." Sure…? Um, no, that was a bit too quick. In my series "FAQ: Quantum computer" I try to clear up common misconceptions and erase question marks. This article is about how to make a quantum computer out of many qubits.
26.02. - FAQ: Quantum Computer – From Bit to Qubit
Quantum computers bring quantum physics into the spotlight. Because tech giants as Google, IBM, Microsoft, and Amazon are all over them, they are the talk of the town. In addition to scientific journals, daily newspapers and gossip magazines also report on qubits and their friends. Quantum computers are always explained "simply and compactly". I could also write an article like this, but more specifically, I would like to address the misunderstandings and confusion that such articles often cause. This is not (necessarily) the fault of the authors because no one can adequately explain quantum physics in 5000 characters. Others, however, blatantly sell the quantum computer as a holy grail or Pandora's box. As so often, the truth lies somewhere in the between.

2020

19.12. - Schrödinger’s Christmas present
Schrödinger's cat is considered the mascot and heraldic animal of quantum physics. Ever since Big Bang Theory, at the latest, it has also been tapping into the living rooms of non-physicists. But as popular as she is, most people don't really understand what she's all about. Since Christmas is just around the corner and I strictly reject animal testing, I decided to do it a little differently: Let's help Santa Claus and find out if a child is good or bad.
10.10. - The Nobel Prize: When researchers become stars
Nobel Prize week is over. The one week of the year when scientists are stars of the media and everyone seems to be interested in research. If scientists were celebrated every day like musicians or movie stars and printed on posters in teen magazines – our world would certainly look very different. But until that happens, we'll have to make do with this one week of fame.
22.08. - Quantum technology 2.0
When you think of quantum technology, you think of quantum computers. Or science fiction, light sabres and half-dead cats. But quantum technology is more than the chase for the quantum computer. The second quantum revolution is about breaking boundaries and taming nature's smallest building blocks. What emerges is a superlative technology: smaller, faster, safer, more precise. And not to forget: more incomprehensible.
31.07. - Quantum technology 1.0
Quantum technology is on everyone's lips. Boulevard newspapers report on quantum computers under the factual title "Computers will dominate mankind!" In most cases, quantum technology is presented mysteriously, as a product of the future: science fiction. But one point most articles keep quiet about: Quantum technology already exists and we all have it at home.
10.06. - Hobbits in Latex
Today we are talking about latex. Flexible, adapts to any shape, but sometimes a bit uncomfortable, especially for beginners. If you don't think of black, tight-fitting clothes when you think of latex, you're definitely a nerd. We are talking about the word processing programme LaTeX - probably the most important and most widely used tool among scientists.
31.05. - 5 ways to deal with flexible working hours
In my series "How to PhD", I would like to present different aspects of the life of a PhD student, or more generally, a researcher. Who has not studied or done a PhD (yet) has usually little idea of how research actually works. I would like to change that in an entertaining way and in small servings! The focus of this article: flexible working hours.
27.04. - The identity crisis of light
Sometimes you have to make a choice. Some things you hate, for example, or you love them. Like Brussels sprouts, marzipan or Big Brother. In other cases, you have to take sides: Cats or dogs, Edward or Jacob, wave or particle. But as unlikely as it may sound, sometimes you can be two things at once. Although when this happens in the very foundations of physics, it can start heated discussions. Like at the beginning of the 20th century when Albert Einstein threw light into a deep identity crisis: wave or particle, which is it?
21.03. - The two birthdays of quantum physics – Part 2: Einstein and the jumping spark
Is Einstein the father of quantum physics? Although most people associate him with the theory of relativity, Einstein made significant contributions to the development of quantum physics. In fact, he received his Nobel Prize in 1921 not for the theory of relativity, but for his explanation of the photoelectric effect - one of the key experiments in quantum physics. And like many discoveries in physics, this one was pure chance.
24.02. - The Two Birthdays of Quantum Physics – Part 1: Planck and the Measure of Chaos
In my last article, I explained that, deep down, light consists of energy packets – quanta. These are created, for example, when light interacts with atoms, the building blocks of our world. That sounds very daring and raises many questions, some of them deeply philosophical. And while you are racking your brains about it, one question arises: Who actually thought this up?
12.01. - What actually are these quanta?
A quantum of happiness, a quantum leap in technology, Firefox Quantum. Quanta seem to be present in our lives: they have entered common speech, the newspapers are frequently reporting about quantum computers. Yet hardly anyone outside physics knows what quanta actually are.
01.01. - Hello World!
What better words to start a blog about physics than these? Ok, granted, "Hello World!" comes more from computer science. But as a theoretical physicist, I live at the intersection of physics, math, and computer science, and since it fits so nicely, that will have to do.

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