World Quantum Day
March & April are months full of days set aside for this and that. As though humans sat up one brilliant day in spring and decided to take notice and give gratitude for the world.
March has Read-Across-America, Women’s Day, Pi Day
April has Poetry, Earth Day, Quantum Day, International Dance Day
https://nourishncherish.org/2025/04/15/celebrating-world-quantum-day-history-and-fun-facts/
Last night, I came across the two geeks in the house looking rather pleased with themselves and clamoring for me to come and watch something. I sighed and made my way to them. Chores were hanging all around me. The clothes, the dishes, the putting-things-away. Everything remained to be done. Now was not the time for frivolous you-tubing and insta-reeling or whatever it was the pair were up to.
But relentless is a word that could be used I suppose.
So, there I was, half enjoying the look of these fellows watching me enjoy the video, and half-absorbing the video myself.
The video showed a wave pattern that could explain the wave motion dynamics that seems to keep electrons in orbit.
The Miraculous from the Material – Understanding the Wonders of Nature – By Alan Lightman
“Interesting! That’s just what I was reading about. Talk about coincidences.” I said pulling the book, The Miraculous from the Material – Understanding the Wonders of Nature – By Alan Lightman. In the essay on atoms, he had written about this very wave concept:
“Quantum physics has shown that all particles behave partly like water waves. They don’t occupy a single point in space, but instead have a spread.”
He explains in the essay about a group of scientists at Cornell University led by David A Muller, and how they set about getting a high resolution photo of atoms.
They used a computer to simulate the scattered electron waves overlapping with one another, and used that to reconstruct a 3D picture. The process is called Electron Ptychography, I said.
Pic from the book: the essays are all accompanied by fantastic photographs
Curiouser-and-Curiouser
“Only you would be reading about this when we show you a video!” the son chuckled, and I have to tell you, I was quite pleased at the serendipity of it all too, and babbled on.
“Did you know, last year, 2025, was officially 100 years since Quantum Mechanics entered regular fields of study? Also, 4/14 was chosen as World Quantum Day because of Planck’s constant value?” ($4.14 * 10^{-15} eV.s?) I said , and the fellow looked thrilled at this piece of information. “Curiouser-and-Curiouser, huh?”
“Yeah! I think this will be my favorite geek-day from now on, Amma. Suits me better than Pi-day no?” I laughed and agreed.
Happy Quantum Day!
Nourish-n-Cherish 