Ah, quantum mechanics! Such a fascinating issue! Plentiful spring of unthinkable graphics! A Spanish saying states that in order to live a fulfilling life one has to plant a tree, write a book and have a child. Likewise, every graphics editor should make at least one graphic on quantum physics — check ☑, one on a plane crash — check ☑, and one on whales — or giant squids, pending ☐.

Yesterday I made yet another one on quantum physics. It went with a story by Dennis Overbye about a NASA experiment that suggests Einstein is still right about the invariance of the speed of light in vacuum.

According to quantum theory, space-time, up very close, appears discontinuous and chaotic, and that would affect the propagation of light. High-energy photons, with shorter wavelengths, would suffer it more, and navigate slower in this bumpy space-time.

Dennis Overbye’s metaphor tells how two boats maneuver on a choppy ocean. While high-energy photons would have to sail up and down the waves — the wavy, bumpy space-time; low-energy photons would jump and cut through the waves.

That is a very visual way of describing it! And an interesting metaphor to represent the invisible, magical mistery world. So invisible and obscure that incites to try crazy visualizations, “artistic renditions”.

I came up with this one.

Playing around at home, I came up with a different version of the same graphic, Newsweek style. A tribute to my dearest Kevin Hand. I googled fractal and space, a little photoshop here and there, and voilá.

This brings back memories of those wonder years as Health and Science Graphics Editor at elmundo.es Sigh! Explaining the physics of MRI, my first encounter with quantum theory. What a crazy interactive!

If you send me your graphics on quantum physics at I’ll compile the craziest ones and we’ll comment.

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