Opposing truths

Diego A. Quiñones

A question that has two answers.  
They are contradictory, though equally true.  
But when the question is asked   
only one is revealed.  

Is there a way to foresee this result?  
Was the outcome always destined  
or is it that somewhere there exists   
another me who saw the opposite?  

Reality is in the eye of the beholder,  
existence is what we experience,  
and the most that we can aspire  
is to speculate others’ perspective.   

Seeing the stars makes them appear.  
Our perception creates our surroundings,  
dooming all other potential worlds  
into becoming a mere dream.  

Or is it that we are blind and deaf,  
and nature surpasses our imagination?  
Are the limits of our senses  
what hides from us a richer universe?  

We may never know the solution   
to this existential riddle.   
But what truth is more dreaded:  
complete uncertainty or immutable fate.

The Science

One of the most well-known features of quantum mechanics is the concept of state superposition, illustrated by the famous thought experiment of the Schrödinger's cat. It describes whenever the wave function of a system can be represented as a sum of states in the measurement basis. Nevertheless, this depiction of systems is not what we experience in our daily life: we can only observe one of the possible states at a time (either the cat is dead or alive). So, why is there a discrepancy between quantum theory and what we witness? This transition from the quantum to the classical world occurs during the measurement of the system: the act of observing affects what is being observed. But why is that? What happened to the wave function during the measurement process?  What is especial about measurements or observers? Is the wave function even a physical thing or is just a mathematical construct? There is no consensus within the physics community to answers these questions, which is sometimes called the ‘measurement problem’, with scientist presenting different explanations, including the existence of multiple universes where each of the possible result of the measurement is obtained. 

The Poet

Diego A. Quiñones is an Innovation Lead in Quantum Technologies at Innovate UK, a section of UKRI, the body of the Government of the United Kingdom that directs research and innovation funding. With a background in quantum information, he is a science communicator and aspiring writer with experience in the conception and creation of science-inspired art. Twitter: @Q_DiegoA.

Next poem: out of Time by Naomi Bindman