As part of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology 2025, Wiebke Loseries, a physics education specialist at the University of Rostock, speaks in an interview with the Rostock street newspaper STROHhalm about the significance of quantum physics for today’s science and society. She offers a fascinating insight into the connection between physics and art, as well as the upcoming events planned by the Institute of Physics during this anniversary year.
In the interview, Loseries explains how quantum phenomena are elusive concepts that often need to be made visible through artistic means in order to foster a deeper understanding. A particular highlight of the celebrations in Rostock will be World Quantum Day on April 14, when art and physics will merge in inspiring ways.
Article from STROHhalm:
It is the year 1925. The Roaring Twenties bring jobs, economic growth, and a flourishing period for art and culture. Science, too, is breaking new ground, as Max Planck has just formulated quantum mechanics, laying the foundation for our modern understanding of the natural world.
A hundred years later, quantum mechanics influences all areas of our culture, science, technology, and art.
To mark the anniversary, the University of Rostock is organizing a series of events as part of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. A particularly important occasion is World Quantum Day on April 14. On this day, physics and art will come together at three locations throughout the Hanseatic city. Four artists working in photography, drawing, installation, conceptual art, and performance will engage in a direct dialogue with physicists, discussing their works and how we imagine physics.
Art as a Language Model for Science
“In Rostock, we have a relatively strong focus on quantum physics, both in research and in science education,” explains Wiebke Loseries, who leads the Teaching and Learning Laboratory in Physics Education at the University of Rostock. Physics is a fundamental natural science, but often not intuitive. “Nature leads us by the nose, and we often can't find the right language for it,” says the didactics expert. Even in quantum physics, the descriptive power of science repeatedly reaches its limits.
In quantum physics, for example, particles can seemingly exist in two places at once, and quantum objects can occupy multiple states simultaneously. A similar effect occurs when we understand a pun — there, too, multiple meanings overlap at the same time.
Another phenomenon is quantum tunneling. It allows quantum objects to pass through seemingly insurmountable barriers. This effect plays a crucial role in astrophysics: it enables atomic nuclei — which would normally repel each other due to their identical charge — to come close enough in stars to fuse. Without this phenomenon, there would be no sunlight — and no life on Earth.
These and other quantum processes are not intuitive and are difficult to grasp linguistically. To counter this lack of language, the university has adopted an artistic approach to make quantum phenomena visible. Through art, new perspectives can be opened, and new horizons in perception can be explored. “Art and science share the fact that both operate in invisible realms and must make decisions there,” says Loseries. It is always about sensing the next step.
Since 2018, the university has been collaborating with the Rostock Art Association on a long-term project in which physicists and artists work together in an annual symposium. They engage deeply with quantum phenomena and develop artistic interpretations of them.
Quanta Are Like Intense Light
So what exactly is a quantum — the concept that has shaped physics for decades and now permeates our everyday technological environment? “That question isn’t so easy to answer,” says Loseries. The fundamental insight of quantum physics is that energy doesn’t flow continuously, but in packets — in discrete units called quanta. From a scientific standpoint, that may sound imprecise, but it’s a vivid way to illustrate the concept — and that’s what World Quantum Day is all about, according to Loseries.
The aim is to spark conversations about physics and science, because, as Loseries explains, “there is very little public knowledge about quantum physics in particular.” She and her colleagues from the Institute of Physics want to change that during the Year of the Quantum.
“Almost all of the technology that surrounds us today is based on quantum processes,” she says. This includes things like data storage on USB sticks and laser technology used at supermarket checkouts — both rely on the principles of quantum physics.
On April 14, physics and art come together for World Quantum Day. The event begins at 5:00 PM in the University Church of Rostock. At 7:00 PM, an exhibition will be presented at the Botanical Garden. Under the theme Citizen Science, one of the projects explores the effects of differently colored light on plants. At 8:15 PM, the Institute of Physics will open its doors to the public. Shuttle buses operated by RSAG will run between all event locations.
Source: M. Hübbe, STROHhalm 317, April 2025, S. 16 (available in german only)