Jim Rutt defines "quantum mechanics" as the branch of physics that fundamentally reshapes our understanding of nature at the smallest scales, where classical mechanics no longer holds sway. Quantum mechanics deploys a mathematical framework to describe phenomena that occur at the atomic and subatomic levels, where particles like electrons exhibit both wave-like and particle-like properties. Rutt highlights its key principles, such as superposition, entanglement, and quantization, which challenge our intuitions about reality and locality. According to him, this field not only revolutionizes our comprehension of matter and energy but also underpins the development of groundbreaking technologies, from semiconductors to quantum computers. With its counterintuitive yet experimentally confirmed theories, quantum mechanics opens up a plethora of questions about the fabric of the universe, making it a cornerstone of modern physics.

See also: quantum foundations, coherence, integrated information theory, fermi paradox