“Quantum teleportation,” “wormhole.”
Just hearing these words stirs a childlike curiosity deep within many of us, doesn’t it? They might sound like terms straight out of a sci-fi movie or anime
.
Yet, this is undeniably “real” – a subject being seriously debated at the cutting edge of modern physics.
The smartphones and internet we
use without a second thought. The semiconductor technology underpinning them could not exist without quantum mechanics.
Yet the world of quantum mechanics is a wondrously mysterious realm where our “common sense” no longer applies.
- “Matter behaves like a wave”
- “Observation changes its state”
- “Particles in distant locations influence each other instantaneously”
These are not occult or magic, but physical laws confirmed by numerous experiments. And
now, this quantum mechanics is poised to become the key to unraveling the very nature of “spacetime” (time and space) itself.
The video we introduce today is an interview with Professor Yasunori Nomura of the University of California, Berkeley, featured on TBS’s news program “CROSS DIG.”
Professor Nomura is a world-renowned authority in particle physics, quantum gravity theory, and cosmology, yet he describes himself as “just an ordinary guy.”
This video begins with the “double-slit experiment,” a fundamental test of quantum mechanics, and unfolds in a surprising way, connecting to the science fiction-like concept of “quantum teleportation” and how it relates to “wormholes,” which are the very fabric of spacetime itself.
The discussion then transcends the boundaries of physics, delving into profound, almost philosophical themes like the “physical substance of information” and “the universe and error correction.”
First, please watch the video.
- Yasunori Nomura: A Man Driven by Pure Curiosity for Physics
- The Double Slit Experiment: The Dual Nature of Quantum “Waves” and “Particles”
- Quantum Teleportation: Information Transfer and “Space-Time”
- “Information is a Physical Entity”: The Arrival of a Paradigm Shift
- Insight Dot Insight: We Swim in the Sea of Information
- In Closing
Yasunori Nomura: A Man Driven by Pure Curiosity for Physics
At the beginning of the video, Professor Nomura jokingly introduces himself as “that guy who gets asked, ‘What’s quantum teleportation? What’s that all about?'” Despite being a world-renowned physicist, this unpretentious
personality is incredibly charming.
What does it mean to “understand something intuitively”?
Professor Nomura’s discussion on the sensation of “understanding physics” is highly insightful.
When people say “relativity theory doesn’t click” or “quantum mechanics is hard to visualize,” it stems from a gap between understanding the equations and everyday intuition (sense).
However, even professional physicists don’t intuitively grasp everything from the start.
“That feeling of ‘clicking’ really comes down to familiarity. (…) Physics equations are inherently distant from intuition. Since we don’t directly experience what happens in the atomic world, the way you make it click is different—it’s not like everyday experiences.”
Yasunori Nomura
Physicists install the world described by equations as a “new intuition” through “repetition” and “immersion”—calculating equations and repeatedly engaging with their logic. This
process might resemble learning a new language or memorizing complex sports movements with your body. Just as you start by consciously
thinking about grammar when speaking, then become fluent without realizing it. Or how your body
learns the balance needed for cycling, not through theory but through muscle memory.
Rather than giving up with “I don’t understand,” by persistently immersing oneself within that “not understanding,” at a certain moment, the way the world appears changes. This seems to be one form of “understanding” in physics
.
We tend to easily seek “ease of understanding,” but true intelligence may reside beyond the patience required to continually confront “difficulty.”
The Researcher’s Attitude: Solitude and Joy
Professor Nomura cites two motivations: intellectual curiosity—”how much new I can discover”—and “contributing to science.” While
revolutionary discoveries like Einstein’s are rare for a single individual, the collective accumulation of knowledge by many researchers propels humanity’s intelligence forward. One senses his joy and pride in participating in this process
.
Furthermore, while spending over 25 years conducting research in the United States, he remarks, “The only people I can call friends are those in Japan.” This glimpse reveals the loneliness inherent in top-tier research environments and the uncompromising demands of the professional world. The
workplace is ultimately a battlefield, with no room for complacency or familiarity.
Yet, his words consistently convey the strength and resolve to choose that environment and continue fighting at the cutting edge.
Dialogue with the Business World
What’s fascinating is Professor Nomura’s active engagement in dialogue with business leaders and economists.
Businesspeople’s interest in “space” or “quantum mechanics” likely stems not just from a desire for cultural enrichment, but from an intuition that these fields hold the “fundamental principles of the world” and the “foundation for future technology.”
Professor Nomura, too, seems to enjoy gaining a broader perspective beyond the confines of physics through dialogue with people from different fields.
The Double Slit Experiment: The Dual Nature of Quantum “Waves” and “Particles”
The first half of the video explains the “Double Slit Experiment,”
the most famous and perplexing experiment in quantum mechanics. This experiment demonstrates that light and electrons possess both “particle” and “wave” properties, making it a quintessential gateway topic to quantum mechanics.
Experiment Overview: The Collapse of Common Sense
- Two slits (gaps) are cut into a wall, and electrons are fired one at a time toward them.
- The positions where the electrons hit a screen beyond the slits are recorded.
- Since electrons are “particles,” common sense suggests they should cluster at two points along the extension lines of the two slits. It’s like throwing a ball and expecting it to fly straight.
- However, when the experiment is repeated, a “striped pattern (interference pattern)” appears on the screen. This is a unique pattern formed when waves reinforce or cancel each other out.
- In other words, a single electron behaves like a “wave,” passing through both slits simultaneously and producing results as if it interfered with itself.
An electron, which should be a single particle, spreads out in space as a “probability wave” and passes through both slits “simultaneously.”
This is a phenomenon far beyond our everyday understanding.
Does “observation” change the world? It’s not an intervention of consciousness.
What’s even more puzzling comes next. What happens if we place an observation device (like shining light) near the slits to confirm “which slit the electron actually passed through”
? Surprisingly, the interference pattern vanishes. The electron behaves like a mere particle, concentrating at two distinct points on the screen. It’s as if it changes its behavior
the instant it realizes it’s being watched.
A common misunderstanding here is the interpretation that “the result changed because a human saw it” or “human consciousness altered reality.” When quantum mechanics is discussed in spiritual contexts
, this “observer effect” is frequently cited and treated as “scientific evidence that thoughts manifest reality.”
However, Professor Nomura clearly and calmly refutes this.
“Whether a human observes is not the point. […] Whether a human observes or not, whether a dog observes or not, observation occurs by directing something at an object. Quantum mechanics is a theory that incorporates this principle from the outset.”
Yasunori Nomura
“Observation” does not refer to the intervention of human consciousness, but to physical interactions (such as a photon colliding with an electron).
In the microscopic world, the very act of shining light to see an electron has such a significant impact that it disturbs the electron’s state. Professor
Nomura’s explanation does not diminish the mystery of quantum mechanics; rather, it highlights its rigorous and beautiful laws.Rather than
retreating to the simplistic interpretation that “consciousness creates the world,” there is a truth revealed by confronting the cold, profound rules of physical laws. It
is a truth of irreversibility: “The very act of measurement is an act that alters part of the world.”
Quantum Teleportation: Information Transfer and “Space-Time”
In the latter half of the video, we finally arrive at the topic of “quantum teleportation.”
The name might evoke images of technology like in Star Trek, where humans warp to another location in an instant, but the reality is slightly (and more fundamentally) different. This is not a
technology that moves matter itself; rather, it utilizes the phenomenon of “quantum entanglement” to transfer the “state (information)” of a quantum particle to a distant location.
Quantum Entanglement: Spooky Action at a Distance
Quantum entanglement describes a state where two particles are deeply bound together, as if sharing a common destiny. If the
state of one particle (for example, whether its spin is up or down) is observed and determined to be “up,” the state of the other particle is instantly determined to be “down” at that very moment. It doesn’t matter if that particle
is on the other side of the Earth or in the Andromeda Galaxy.The effect occurs “
instantaneously,” regardless of distance. Einstein
once called this “spooky action at a distance” and disliked it, but it has been fully demonstrated by current experiments.
The Mechanism of Quantum Teleportation and the “Speed of Light Barrier”
According to Professor Nomura’s explanation, the procedure for quantum teleportation is as follows.
- A pair of particles in a state of “quantum entanglement” is shared beforehand between the location where information is to be sent (A) and the location where it is to be received (B).
- Perform a special observation on the quantum (X) to be transferred at location A and on one particle of the entangled pair (the A-side particle).
- This observation alters the entanglement state, causing the state of the other particle in the pair at location B (the B-side particle) to change as well (a correlation is created).
- The observation result at location A (classical information, e.g., 2-bit data like “Result Type 3 was obtained”) is sent to location B via conventional means such as telephone or the internet.
- At location B, based on the received data, an appropriate operation (such as a rotation) is applied to the particle at location B.
- Then, the particle at location B becomes in exactly the same state as the original quantum (X).
Here, it is absolutely crucial that **classical communication (which cannot exceed the speed of light)** is absolutely necessary. While quantum
entanglement itself influences the other particle instantaneously, this alone cannot transmit information. It is essential
to communicate via phone or internet, saying something like “The result was this, so please perform this transformation over there,” and have the other side perform the operation. Only then is the information transfer (reproduction of a perfect copy) complete.
This ensures the fundamental principle of relativity theory—that information cannot be transmitted faster than light—is upheld.
Nature has woven its rules with astonishing ingenuity.
Quantum Teleportation = Wormhole
And here, Professor Nomura drops a bombshell.
“When viewed through the lens of spacetime, quantum teleportation is essentially a wormhole.”
Yasunori Nomura
This relates to one of the hottest hypotheses in modern physics: “ER=EPR.
” “ER” stands for Einstein-Rosen Bridge, meaning a wormhole.
“EPR” stands for Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen correlation, meaning quantum entanglement.
The idea is that “quantum entanglement (a microscopic phenomenon)” and “wormholes (a spacetime phenomenon)” are actually different descriptions of the same thing. Performing
quantum teleportation between point A and point B is mathematically equivalent, in terms of spacetime geometry, to sending information through a “wormhole” connecting A and B.
What we perceive as “spatially separated” may actually be woven together by countless quantum entanglements.
Even if space appears separated, at the quantum level, it is infinitely connected by “shortcuts (wormholes).”
From this perspective,
our view of the universe fundamentally changes. The very stage set of “space” itself may actually be constructed by a quantum weave of information.
“Information is a Physical Entity”: The Arrival of a Paradigm Shift
Towards the end of the video, the discussion deepens, delving into the very essence of “information.”
We often tend to think of “information” as an abstract concept lacking substance, but Professor Nomura refutes this.
It from Qubit (Everything is made of quantum bits)
“Fundamentally, information is indeed a ‘thing’. (…) In this world, information always has a tangible substance.”
Yasunori Nomura
Physicist John Wheeler once proposed “It from Bit” (Everything is made of bits). Today, this has evolved into “It from Qubit” (Everything is made of quantum bits).
What we perceive as “matter” might actually be nothing more than quantum information arranged in specific patterns. Information is not merely
a description; it is a physical entity itself, possessing energy and relating to mass.
This represents a major shift in our worldview, moving from “matter-centric” to “information-centric.” Just as data written
to a hard disk is a physical arrangement of magnetic fields, our bodies, the thoughts within our brains, and even the universe itself are all composed of the physical entity known as “quantum information.” This
universe can be viewed as a gigantic information processing system.
Holographic Cosmology and Reality as a “Projection”
Furthermore, this concept of quantum information connects to “holographic cosmology.” According
to this theory, the physical phenomena in our three-dimensional space are equivalent to the behavior of quantum information on its boundary (a two-dimensional surface).Just as a credit
card hologram makes a three-dimensional image appear within a flat surface, the “depth” and “gravity” we perceive might be nothing more than projections of information onto a screen at the edge of the universe.
Professor Nomura’s research on “quantum gravity theory” also relies heavily on this holographic principle (AdS/CFT correspondence). If the universe
is a hologram, the world we believe to be “reality” might be an illusion projected from a higher-dimensional information space.
However, this doesn’t mean it’s “fake”; rather, it represents the “ultimate reality” woven from information.
Is the Universe a Giant Error-Correcting Code?
Even more intriguing is the connection between “quantum error correction” and the universe. Quantum
computers are extremely delicate and prone to errors caused by noise during computation, making an “error correction” mechanism essential to preserve information accurately.
According to Professor Nomura, what we perceive as “space” or “matter” might actually be emerging as a result of quantum information error correction.
“We’re starting to understand that the difference between the degrees of freedom we call ‘spacetime’ and those we call ‘matter’ is whether error correction is effective or not.”
Yasunori Nomura
If this is true, the universe we inhabit might be akin to a “computational result” protected by robust error correction codes. The
universe’s remarkable stability and our very existence here may stem from its continuous, autonomous error correction.Long before we
invented it, nature was already performing error correction in the most efficient way possible. And
now, through research on black holes and spacetime, physicists are attempting to decipher that “source code of the universe.”
The Future and Threats Brought by Quantum Computers
This fundamental research also holds significant implications for practical applications
. Quantum computers, currently under
development by companies like Google and research institutions like RIKEN, could potentially break current encryption technologies (which rely on the difficulty of prime factorization) in an instant.
Credit card information, national secrets, nuclear power plant control systems… A world
where all security becomes powerless may be upon us.
This is precisely why the development of quantum teleportation technology (quantum cryptography), which enables “absolutely eavesdropping-proof communication,” has become an urgent necessity. This
is not merely scientific progress; it is also a competition among nations for 21st-century hegemony. As
Professor Nomura points out, peering into the depths of fundamental research is directly linked to shaping the very framework of future society.
Insight Dot Insight: We Swim in the Sea of Information
The insights gained from this video extend far beyond mere physics knowledge.
They pose questions about our very “existence” and serve as signposts toward the “new worldview” Insight Dot pursues.
1. The Dissolution of the Boundary Between Matter and Information and the Scientification of Spirituality
Until now, we have separated tangible “matter” from intangible “information (spirit, thought)”.
However, modern physics seeks to erase this boundary. The fact
that “information is a physical entity” suggests that our thoughts and consciousness are also part of the vast physical system that is the universe, and are real entities subject to physical laws.
This could be seen as supporting, from a physics perspective, the sense of “Oneness (all is one)” spoken of in spiritual traditions.
Everything is written in the common language of quantum information. Even
what you are thinking or feeling right now might be a physical phenomenon situated within the flow of information across the entire universe.
2. The Power to Enjoy Not Knowing and Unlearning
The greatest lesson we can learn from Professor Nomura’s approach is how to engage with the unknown. Quantum mechanics
and higher-dimensional theories are extremely difficult to grasp intuitively.
However, rather than stopping our thinking there, by continuing to calculate, think, and build new logical frameworks within ourselves, a moment eventually arrives when it all clicks into place.
This suggests an important skill for us navigating today’s rapidly changing society. In an era where
events like AI evolution and shifts in social
structures occur one after another, defying intuitive grasp, we must not cling to existing common sense (classical intuition). Instead, we need to let go of it (unlearn), learn new rules, adapt, and rewrite our brain’s operating system.As
Professor Nomura cheerfully declares, “I’m going to become Einstein!”, adopting a mindset that views this complex and enigmatic world as a “puzzle to be solved” will be key to navigating the challenges ahead.
3. Gazing into the Abyss
Research into quantum teleportation and wormholes may seem, at first glance, completely unrelated to our daily lives.
However, Professor Nomura states:
“Knowing that biological information is encoded in DNA doesn’t directly help my work or my daily life. But does that mean learning it is a waste of time? I don’t think so. No, I wouldn’t want to die without knowing that. After all, since humanity’s research exists and knowledge is abundant, I want to know.”
Yasunori Nomura
The act of “knowing” itself holds value. Understanding
the workings of the universe is nothing less than understanding “where we are and who we are.” This is precisely
what Insight Dot aims for: connecting the dots
, piecing together fragments of knowledge to paint a grand, complete picture. The
cutting edge of physics is one of the most powerful “lenses” for achieving this.
In Closing
In the interview, Professor Nomura remarked about his field of research: “If everyone were bored, no community could sustain itself, no matter how important the subject. But right now, we’re making steady progress,
and it’s endlessly fascinating.” Perhaps humanity is now grasping the very “keys” to unlocking the universe’s mysteries.
The world of quantum mechanics is profoundly deep, possessing a “swamp-like” charm that draws you in with no return.
Yet at the bottom of that swamp lies a beautiful truth that overturns our common sense.
I hope today’s article helps you see terms like “quantum teleportation” and “wormholes” not just as sci-fi concepts, but as real mechanisms operating behind the scenes of this world.
And if this world is the result of a massive quantum computation, then perhaps the “information” of each of our individual lives is also an indispensable bit for the entire universe.
How we make that bit shine depends entirely on our own observations and choices.
References & Links
- [Is Quantum Teleportation, the Ultimate Encrypted Communication Using Quantum Entanglement, a Wormhole in the Language of Space-Time?] Who is Astrophysicist Yasunori Nomura? (TBS CROSS DIG with Bloomberg)
- Research by Yasunori Nomura (University of California, Berkeley)
Until next time, on another journey to stimulate your intellectual curiosity. This has
been Insight Dot.
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