We choose to examine a phenomenon which is impossible, absolutely impossible, to explain in any classical way, and which has in it the heart of quantum mechanics. In reality, it contains the only mystery.

~ Richard Feynman, a Nobel laureate of the twentieth century

Renowned quantum physicist Niels Bohr once said, “if quantum mechanics hasn’t profoundly shocked you, you haven’t understood it yet.” And it’s true, quantum mechanics is confusing to say the least. For those of you who don’t know, quantum mechanics is the study of ‘reality’ at the smallest possible levels. Basically looking at matter at ‘quantum’ scales. What’s confusing about quantum mechanics is that the laws governing it differ drastically from classical physics.

Take the quantum double slit experiment, for example, in this experiment, tiny bits of matter (photons, electrons, or any atomic-sized object) are shot toward a screen that has two slits in it. On the other side of the screen, a video camera records where each photon lands. When scientists close one slit, the camera will show us an expected pattern, as seen in the video below. But when both slits are opened, an “interference pattern” emerges — they begin to act like waves. This doesn’t mean that atomic objects are observed as a wave (even though they recently have been observed as a wave), they just act that way. It means that each photon individually goes through both slits at the same time and interferes with itself, but it also goes through one slit, and it goes through the other. Furthermore, it goes through neither of them. The single piece of matter becomes a “wave” of potentials, expressing itself in the form of multiple possibilities, and this is why we get the interference pattern. Not only until we bring measurement into the equation does it decide to act differently.

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