Professor of IPB: Benefits of Quantum Physics Theory in Millennial Era
Physics is one branch of science that has the most significant contribution to human civilization. One important character of physics, especially theoretical physics is its ability to make predictions about the behavior of a system. Physics is able to understand and provide a description of the phenomena shown by the system.
Albert Einstein was one of the finest figures of theoretical physicist. He has four capital of a physicist that is obedience to rational logic, the utilization of mathematics and computation, and has an imaginative-intuitive power. Einstein was able to understand the phenomenon of gravity through the theory of general relativity. Einstein formulated it imaginatively and intuitively so it’s able to illustrate the manifestation of the curvature of space-time which proved to predict the dynamics of astronomical objects more accurately.
"Another contribution is in the field of quantum physics that offers the concept of light quantum commonly called photons in explaining the experiments of photoelectric effect. This finding brings people to the current era of digital technology," Prof. said. Husin Alatas, Professor of the Faculty of Mathematics and Science of the Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) in his professors' inaugural profession in the Andi Hakim Nasoetion Building, Dramaga IPB Campus, (5/5).
From the discovery of various phenomena that cannot be predicted and explained by the formulation of classical physics and the emergence of computers, then in the last century physics has experienced four revolutions namely quantum physics, relativistic physics, nonlinear physics and complexity of science.
According to him, the quantum physics found about a century ago, it turns out we can enjoy the results now in the form of mobile phones, projectors, digital cameras and others.
"The camera we use now that the theory has been found Ibn Haitham in 1015 AD The camera comes from the Arabic ‘kamara’ meaning dark room," he said.
Just as the new relativistic theory of physics that we can now enjoy the results in the form of online transportation. Gojek or Uber easily find the consumer's position with a very high level of accuracy. This requires time synchronization. It could be predictable if we understand the physics of relativity.
"Science developed thousands of years ago can only be enjoyed now. Similarly, the sharp and flexible Sword of Damascus, now understood as nanotechnology," he said.
In his opinion, physics has its own perspective to describe something. Physics deals with systems in which there are subsystems and between subsystems there is a relationship between one and the other. An example is describing local wisdom Indonesia.
"It is an emergent property of relations of society with nature, and people's relationships. How we describe our local wisdom is different from the West which only uses rationality. Easterners use spiritual and taste and have not been touched by science. Not that we swallow the science of the West. We only use methodologies that may be applicable. Our challenge is to describe local knowledge to something that makes sense, "he said.
Prof. Husin cited an economist who studied Subak along with an anthropologist at Nanyang University Singapore. For 20 years they researched Subak to create an interbank money flow system to prevent crashes. They make a model that mimics the Balinese in dividing the water.
"Why this is not us who've done it, while Subak is part of us. Therefore, IPB is now making transdisciplinary research center," he said.
