Are we entering a Photonic Age?

Back in 2004, I was asked “what’s the 4th state of matter?” – something taught in physics at school – to which I had no answer. Turns out it’s “Plasma” and that it may be the most common state of matter in the universe.

But if there is a 4th state of matter, there may be a 5th phase, too – and – who knows what else? A little over a year ago, a friend sent me this dialogue from Plato describing Quantum Physics in 400 BC (in many ways just like Nikola Tesla did), which furthered my interest in this field.

I’m by no means an expert qualified enough to comment in this field of science, yet it’s simply intriguing to observe, how many advances were made at the intersection of science, light and technology over the past year:

• In March, the concept of “Nuclear Fusion Reactors” reached new feasibility with the idea that magnets could be strong enough to hold the plasma in shape.

• In May, physicists at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) demonstrated a new quantum radar prototype that uses quantum entanglement as a method of object detection.

• There was also new milestone evidence for “Anyons”, quite possibly representing a third kingdom of particles.

While these were already of significance earlier in the year, it took only a few months more till:

• Researchers achieved long distance quantum teleportation and physicists found a magic number that shapes the universe and appears in formulas governing light and matter.

• China turned on a nuclear-powered artificial sun for the first time and managed to harness particles of light (photons) in a photonic quantum computer.

• A new theory was published, further addressing the wave-particle duality of matter by combining the ideas of particles and waves into a concentration of energy that flows throughout space and time.

These achievements and associated research developments show a tremendous acceleration towards entering a “Photonic Age”.

Background: The Story of our Universe is Photonic

The following illustration summarizes the almost 14-billion-year-long history of our universe. It shows the main events that occurred between the initial phase of the cosmos and the rich variety of cosmic structure that we observe today, ranging from stars and planets to galaxies and galaxy clusters:

The Planck mission has made this map of the oldest light from our universe. Patterns of light reflect its long journey from the distant universe to Earth. By studying these patterns, scientists can learn about the origins, fate and ingredients of our universe. By studying the energy distribution of the photons at this early time, we can learn what the properties of matter were back then.

However, with the expansion of the Universe, the wavelength of the light emitted has increased. The ratio by which the wavelength has increased tells about the factor by which the Universe has expanded since the time the photons were emitted.

The Photonic Age has begun and perhaps its associated Universal Matter one day will be considered as a key building block responsible for the expansion of Consciousness. – Toby Ruckert

When I started this newsletter, I did so under the motto “Modern Times and Opportunities”. I believe one such theme of our “modern time” is linked to the opportunities which will be ushered in by this Photonic Age.

They can be found at the intersection of quantum (light), physics (technology driven by the science of nature related to entities of energy and force) and mind (applied knowledge becoming wisdom in the form of consciousness).