How Games Are Transforming Our Understanding of the Quantum World: The Case of Quantum Moves
Hemdan M. Aly | QSComm Advisor
When Gaming Contributes to Science
A group of scientists created a video game called Quantum Moves, which follows the laws of quantum mechanics. Surprisingly, it is non-physicist human players who often excel at it.
How the Game Works
The game is based on manipulating real atoms and solving complex problems without seeing equations. Its purpose is to contribute to scientific research for physicists at Aarhus University in Denmark, supporting the epic mission of building a real quantum computer.
Quantum Moves relies on intuition and creativity, not textbook physics knowledge.
Are you ready to push the boundaries of science?
The player’s task is to find clever ways to control and move atoms. The player’s unique style of play is used to control the movement of laser beams and actual atoms in the laboratory of Aarhus University physicists!
A large part of Quantum Moves' success is due to its smart design, which successfully translates a quantum problem into a visual challenge—though this approach may fail with more complex quantum problems.
Charles Tahan, a theoretical physicist at the University of Maryland, College Park, notes that physicists developing quantum computing algorithms already use graphical interfaces to help refine their solutions.
A study led by Jacob Sherson, a quantum physicist at Aarhus University, concluded that the human mind may be more capable of understanding the rules of the strange quantum world than previously thought. This discovery could influence how scientists approach quantum physics.
Sherson states:
"Perhaps we should allow some of this natural intuition to enter into solving our problems."
Scientists studying quantum foundations have long suggested that a more intuitive approach to quantum physics could help solve outstanding mysteries—though many doubted this would be possible without new theories.
🔽 Download the Game
REFERENCES
J. J. W. H. Sørensen et al. (2016). Nature (Vol. 532, No. 14), 210–213.
