ST Upton: Quantalore and Death Dot Motivation
- S.T. Upton
- Dec 14, 2016
- 2 min read
Quantalore, like "folklore", is a word I made up to describe fiction inspired by quantum mechanics. But quantalore is more than that. It's a concept I'd like people to lazily absorb as they entertain themselves with great stories that then leads them to an appreciation for quantum ideas they might otherwise never consider. Of course quantalore should be taken as fiction, because it is, however, its foundations are based on firm science--albeit science we don't completely understand, nevertheless rely on to assist with our everyday living. It's the science that underlies my ability to create this this post... allows you to read it... allows both of us to leave here and go about the rest of our day interacting with other technology that operates because of our understanding of quantum physics. Quantalore, as fictitious as it may be, entertains us into appreciating the real science behind our quantum world.
What are my qualifications to write quantalore? None. I'm not a physicist. I'm not a cosmologist or astrophysicist. In fact, all I have is a BA in English. However, I do have a keen interest in particle and astrophysics, elements of which will feature in all my books, and I would argue that despite an obsession with the electron, the incredible truths about quantum mechanics can be for everyone. Not just the scientists. Therefore, having spent nearly 20 years in children's education (in the States and UK), my overall aim as a writer is to present the emerging field of quantum physics specifically to teen/young adult minds in such a way that difficult concepts are easily grasped through story context and then ultimately normalized. A bit like what Jurassic Park did for dinosaurs. It made them come to life in a way that hadn't been done before. And considering research shows that children—girls in particular—make choices at a young age which ultimately affect their attitude towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics, my hope as a writer is to make the dynamic field of physics just as exciting for young people as it has been more recently for the professionals in the field.
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