Illuminating Light - Jess Wade, Russell Foster and Bridget Christie

What It Covers

Brian Cox and Robin Ince explore light's nature with Russell Foster, Jess Wade, and Bridget Christie, covering photon physics, circadian biology, spectroscopy techniques, evolutionary photoreception, and quantum computing applications using photonic systems.

Key Questions Answered

• •Circadian regulation: Morning light exposure synchronizes internal body clocks and sleep-wake cycles. The retina has the highest metabolic rate of any tissue, making it particularly sensitive to blood oxygen levels and light detection for biological timing.
• •Spectroscopy applications: Raman spectroscopy enables non-destructive chemical analysis by measuring vibrational shifts in scattered light. This technique reveals complete molecular composition of transparent liquids, ancient pigments, and artworks without causing damage to studied materials.
• •Evolutionary photoreception: Light sensors and biological clocks evolved together in ancient organisms to compartmentalize biology for optimal twenty-four hour timing. Visual eyes emerged much later during the Cambrian explosion, approximately 550 million years ago, driving rapid species diversification.
• •Quantum photonic computing: Photons serve as quantum information carriers through polarization and phase encoding. They maintain quantum properties during transmission, travel at light speed, and utilize existing fiber networks, making them leading contenders for scalable quantum computing platforms.