The Quantum Rules: How the Laws of Physics Explain Love, Success, and Everyday Life by Kunal K. Das

Author:Kunal K. Das
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Quantum Theory, Science, Physics
ISBN: 9781632204592
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2015-07-21T04:00:00+00:00

Figure 4.5 When light travels from one medium (water) to another medium (air) where its speed is different, it bends at the surface in order to take the path of least time of travel. (b) Since our eyes do not know that the light has bent, we interpret the origin of the light as extrapolated back along a straight line, so that an underwater object (like a fish) seen from above seems to be in a different position from where it actually is.

This notion will certainly be welcomed with an “I told you so” in these days of instant gratification. If the fastest entity in the universe—light—is in such a hurry, then perhaps we humans can be forgiven for our rush to get everything and everywhere instantaneously. Electronic devices and internet have completely spoiled us; we expect now to get everything instantaneously—to have immediate access to music and videos on YouTube, or information about anything at all with a click of a button on Wikipedia or the web, to talk and interact with anyone anytime with cell phones, emails, and Twitter. We are getting an opportunity like never before in human history to indulge our natural impatience. Thoughtful reflection and patience are fast becoming lost virtues. We could almost say that our impatience, besides our laziness, has been the other driving force for much of our technology—our need to travel faster, need to communicate faster, need to cook faster, do everything faster, faster, and ever faster. The irony is that the upshot of it all has been that we as a culture have less time than ever before, because expectations around us have changed as well, demanding speedier response from us on everything.

The good news is that if you happen to prefer the path of least action, the way of minimum resistance, the states of lowest energy, and are chronically impatient to do it all in the shortest time possible, well, there is nothing wrong with you. You are in the right universe.

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