The Science Shelf

Quantum in Pictures
Bob Coecke and Stefano Gogioso
Cambridge Quantinuum
www.quantinuum.com
9781739214715, $19.99 PB, $4.99 Kindle, 216pp

https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Pictures-New-Understand-World/dp/1739214714

While the line drawings throughout Quantum in Pictures and its simple langu= age might indicate to some that this book might be appropriate for a librar= y's children's section, in fact, it's a primer that can be used by anyone i= nterested in quantum mechanics or physics, young or old. It's best audience=
will be those able to absorb the mathematical concepts that are intrinsic =
to understanding the quantum world.

The book employs pictures alone (diagrams in black and white and color) to = illustrate these basic principles, educating readers about quantum concepts=
in an accessible manner that includes a solid amount of mathematical detai=
l and references. Amateurs and specialists alike will benefit from the auth= ors' attention to making a complex subject surprisingly user-friendly ("...=
we came up with simple, friendly names for many of the concepts involved.")=
..

A companion to the prior Picturing Quantum Processes, this introduction cre= ates a foundation of knowledge that can easily serve as a stepping stone fo=
r readers who wish to take the plunge into the quantum world, whether they = hold physics or computer backgrounds, or are lay readers.

Added value is created via an online connection, as all the chapters of Qua= ntum In Pictures are also available as videos on Quantinuum's YouTube chann= el, which adds some special guests. Using pictures to talk about complex qu= antum subjects enables its grasp by a far wider audience than the usual stu= dent of science. The wide range of subjects, from teleportation to spider b= ites and how math formulas may be translated to and transmitted pictorially=
makes for an unexpectedly lively format that is thought-provoking and attr= active.

From spider and cap tests to understanding errors in visual terms, it soon = becomes evident that Quantum in Pictures is anything but a children's pictu=
re book. Its serious lesson in accessibility and visualization deserves a p= lace in any science library collection where quantum discussions are of int= erest, creating a pathway for understanding that pairs visual math with sol= utions to complex problems.

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