Painting the unseen: visualizing the quantum world

From Physics World Stories Podcast by Physics World

June 24, 2025 · 1h 4m

About this episode

The episode explores the intersection of quantum physics and art through the journey of artist Felicity Inkpen.

What does quantum physics have to do with vibrant oil paintings and the ghostly grin of a disappearing cat? Quite a lot, as it turns out. In this month’s Physics World Stories podcast, host Andrew Glester takes a colourful look at how we visualize – and try to make sense of – the curious world of quantum mechanics. First up is Felicity Inkpen , a Scotland-based artist who began her career in physics and neuroscience before turning to art full-time. Her painting Qubits, Duality appears on the cover of a Physics World Quantum Briefing published to celebrate the 2025 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ). Felicity shares her journey from academia to art, and how her experience of number-colour synaesthesia – where numbers are associated with colours in her mind – shapes her creative process as she explores the elusive nature of quantum reality. Later, Physics World features editor Tushna Commissariat introduces the Physics World Quantum Briefing and delves into one of its stories, ‘ The curious case of quantum Cheshire cats ’. It explores the strange phenomenon where a particle’s properties seem to be in a different place from the particle itself – reminiscent…

People in this episode

Host: Andrew Glester

Guest: Felicity Inkpen

Topics covered

quantum physics
visualization
art
synaesthesia
quantum mechanics
science communication

Keywords

quantum physics
art
synaesthesia
quantum mechanics
visualization
Physics World
IYQ

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Physics World

Books & works: Qubits, Duality, The curious case of quantum Cheshire cats