Why people should know anything about QM?

It is not uncommon for the general public to unknowingly think that quantum mechanics is a very young and badly understood theory. Neither of these thoughts is accurate. It is more than a century old and it has since been thoroughly studied and tested by a great number of people. As a theoretical framework, it has led to such ubiquitous technological advancements such as the laser and the transistor. Quantum theory remains as relevant as ever for current technological research in areas such as nanotechnology, superconductivity, and quantum computation, just to name a few. In order to keep up with all these exciting new technologies and have some understanding of how they function, a basic knowledge of quantum theory is certainly helpful.

Many people also seem to think that quantum mechanics is a scientific proof for just about any crazy idea that snake oil salesmen try to sell them, from quantum holograms that improve balance to quantum healing through crystals. Slapping the words "quantum" and "energy" around has become one of the most common strategies for all sorts of quackery to be perceived as being scientifically sound. People would be less prone to fall for these charlatans if they had some minimal scientific literacy which allowed them to quickly see them for what they are. Fortunately, it takes only a layman's accurate understanding of quantum theory to be able to debunk most of these frauds.

Being at the forefront of our current understanding of reality, quantum mechanics should not be confined to the academia. Keeping up with politics and economics might seem more useful to many people; others might find enjoyment in following their sports club or their favorite musicians; others still might be focused in their communities or their personal growth. Whichever the case, ultimately all of these important aspects of life share a common stage which is the physical realm. To really understand the world in which one lives should be regarded not only in the social, political and cultural senses, but also in the natural sense. This encompasses the various foundational scientific fields, namely biology and physics.

The key point is that understanding the natural laws which govern all physical entities will inexorably impact our worldview and our mindsets, making us more aware of our standing in the cosmos, and might even inform many of our opinions and decisions regarding other aspects of our lives. Scientific literacy in general, and quantum theory in particular, have political and cultural dimensions. For example, how would an uninformed person regard public investment in expensive experimental projects such as those taking place at CERN without understanding the scope and relevance of the work? As another example, why are so many people distrustful of nuclear power if they don't even understand how it works and how the risk is assessed?

Finally, quantum mechanics is simply fascinating. As one progressively grasps its concepts and its messages, one usually finds its bizarre descriptions of reality to be both disconcerting and amazing. I can't speak for everyone, but for me it has profoundly changed the way I look at reality. Quantum mechanics dissolves the idea of a clockwork universe in which every event succeeds the previous one in an very orderly and mechanical fashion. In the quantum realm, things behave rather unpredictably, with a number of implications for our ultimate conception of what is real. Anyone with an appeal to mind-dazzling concepts will find plenty of food for thought in learning about quantum mechanics.

Some of the factors that might contribute to people having erroneous perceptions of quantum theory are the following:

there is almost no coverage of quantum theory in school curricula;
there is almost no direct relation with everyday life and experiences;
people usually find it difficult or lack the aptitude to deal with its non-intuitive concepts and notions;
a deep understanding of its principles requires somewhat advanced mathematics;
it is often misrepresented and misappropriated in the media and by opportunistic charlatans.

I hope I was able to draw your attention and convince you that you should definitely learn something about quantum mechanics. If you already know something, then I hope you might want to deepen your understanding. This is the first of a series of articles where I will try to teach you what I think everyone should know about quantum mechanics in an accurate but accessible way. I will avoid to the best of my ability anything which is too technical while keeping it relevant and informative. Also, please feel free to comment and ask questions; I will try to address them as best as I can.