Interview Feature

The year 2025 marks a special moment for quantum science: the United Nations has proclaimed it the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ), celebrating 100 years since the initial development of quantum mechanics. The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis for their groundbreaking work demonstrating quantum effects on a macroscopic scale—laying the foundation for modern quantum computing.

In this context, TU Graz’s science communications department recently featured an interview with me about our group’s work and the role quantum physics plays in modern technology: “As humans, we have no direct access to the quantum world”

The conversation covers our current collaboration with MIT on superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors, why quantum physics underpins almost every aspect of modern technology, what we really mean when we say we “understand” quantum mechanics, and how we bridge the gap between atomic-scale theories and macroscopic devices. It also addresses why quantum concepts sometimes spill over into pseudoscience—and why that’s a misunderstanding of what quantum physics actually tells us about the world.

If you’re interested in how quantum physics shapes our research on superconducting materials and next-generation technologies, check out the full interview at TU Graz.