Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
At the APS Global Physics Summit, cutting-edge physics can show up in unexpected places—even around a tabletop game.
Clara Nellist meets Maya Miklos (JILA, University of Colorado Boulder) during a TTRPG playtest inspired by Emmy Noether, where players use science to solve challenges. Between dice rolls and strategy, the conversation turns to Maya’s research on spin squeezing and entanglement in optical atomic clocks—among the most precise measurement tools ever built.
These clocks work by measuring how atoms respond to ultra-stable lasers, but each measurement is fundamentally limited by quantum noise, similar to the uncertainty you get when repeatedly flipping a coin. By entangling thousands of atoms, Maya’s work reduces that noise and pushes beyond the standard quantum limit, allowing more precise measurements in less time.
This level of precision opens the door to new science and real-world impact, from measuring tiny variations in Earth’s gravitational field to improving GPS accuracy and testing the limits of fundamental physics.
🎲 Learn more about the game Adventures ith Emmy here: adventureswithemmy.com
Watch more from the APS Global Physics Summit on APS TV.
At the APS Global Physics Summit, cutting-edge physics can show up in unexpected places—even around a tabletop game.
Clara Nellist meets Maya Miklos (JILA, University of Colorado Boulder) during a TTRPG playtest inspired by Emmy Noether, where players use science to solve challenges. Between dice rolls and strategy, the conversation turns to Maya’s research on spin squeezing and entanglement in optical atomic clocks—among the most precise measurement tools ever built.
These clocks work by measuring how atoms respond to ultra-stable lasers, but each measurement is fundamentally limited by quantum noise, similar to the uncertainty you get when repeatedly flipping a coin. By entangling thousands of atoms, Maya’s work reduces that noise and pushes beyond the standard quantum limit, allowing more precise measurements in less time.
This level of precision opens the door to new science and real-world impact, from measuring tiny variations in Earth’s gravitational field to improving GPS accuracy and testing the limits of fundamental physics.
🎲 Learn more about the game Adventures ith Emmy here: adventureswithemmy.com
Watch more from the APS Global Physics Summit on APS TV.
