Author: Phil Temples

When researchers at the University of Queensland announced the creation of a quantum microscope that could reveal biological structures otherwise impossible to see, they predicted it would answer fundamental questions and spark revolutionary breakthroughs in healthcare, engineering, transportation and communications. Little did they know, however, that the new device based on quantum entanglement would result in even more fundamental questions asked about the nature of the universe.

“Denkins, come here and look at this. I thought you said this equipment was properly calibrated!”

Harold Denkins, Professor William Chidley Fleming’s assistant, scurried in from an adjacent laboratory. Denkins glanced anxiously at his boss. Fleming eyed him with a stern look.

Fleming had chosen a random small molecule chain, dichlorine heptoxide—or Cl2O7—to examine that day.

Denkins peered through the binocular viewing piece for almost twenty seconds.

“Doctor, I—I’m sorry. I adjusted it myself according to manual. The equipment seemed to be working fine this morning. But this looks like…”

“Like what, Mister Denkins?”

“Doctor, if I answered your question honestly, I’m afraid that your opinion of me would drop precipitously.”

As Fleming looked at his assistant, a big grin broke out on his face then he shook his head.

“On the contrary, Denkins. You will probably think that it is I who have taken leave of my senses. But let me assure you—just as the invention of the telescope allowed Galileo to observe the rings of Jupiter for the first time, we are now bearing witness to another quantum leap in mankind’s knowledge of the universe. You and I have just discovered that the universe infinitely repeats itself! I hypothesize that this common molecule we looking at here, dichlorine heptoxide, interrogated under entanglement—is in fact, Messier 51a. The Whirlpool Galaxy. Now, I wonder in which molecule we’ll find our Milky Way lurking?”