6:30pm - 8pm
Tuesday 25 November 2025
Surrey Speaks Quantum: Navigating the Quantum Wonderland
Join us for Surrey Speaks Quantum, a captivating lecture series exploring the famously puzzling nature of quantum physics. In celebration of the 2025 International Year of Quantum Science & Technology.
Free
University of Surrey
Guildford
Surrey
GU2 7XH
Advance booking is required.
Talk Synopsis
Quantum mechanics, now celebrating its centenary, is the most successful scientific theory in history, and underpins most of modern technology, from lasers to AI. Yet, at rock bottom, the theory seems to make no sense, describing the world as a weird amalgam of blended alternative realities.
Now we are on the cusp of a second great quantum revolution – Quantum 2.0 – offering dazzling new technologies, such as quantum computing and teleportation, and the lure of Quantum Artificial Intelligence. From the birth of the universe to the mysteries of consciousness, quantum physics has penetrated all areas of human inquiry. But despite its triumphs, this deeply perplexing theory remains curiously unfinished, a challenge to the next generation of scientists and philosophers.
About the speaker
Professor Paul Davies is a British theoretical physicist, astrobiologist, and author renowned for his work on the origins of life, quantum mechanics, and the intersection of science and philosophy. Born in London in 1946, Davies earned his PhD in theoretical physics from University College London before holding research and teaching positions at Cambridge and King’s College London. His early research focused on quantum field theory and curved space-time, leading to collaborations with Stephen Hawking and Roger Penrose on black hole thermodynamics.
Davies has held academic posts in the UK, Australia, and the US, including professorships at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, University of Adelaide, and Arizona State University, where he directed the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science. He also chaired the SETI Post-Detection Committee, exploring protocols for contact with extraterrestrial intelligence.
A prolific author, Davies has written over 30 books, including The Mind of God, The Goldilocks Enigma, and The Demon in the Machine, blending physics with profound philosophical questions. In 1995, he received the Templeton Prize for his efforts to bridge science and religion. His work continues to inspire inquiry into the nature of reality, time, and life itself.
Book Sales & Signing – “Quantum 2.0” by Professor Paul Davies
Copies of Quantum 2.0 will be available to purchase at the venue from 5:45pm to 6:15pm.
Following the talk, Professor Davies will be signing books from 8:00pm to 8:45pm.
No pre-booking is required — simply bring your copy and join the queue!