4 ms·
Meant in the sense of a big jump between levels.
by OldGuyInTheClub 3y ago
Meant in the sense of a big jump between levels.
- 4ggr0 3y agoOh, I see! My sign for a second coffee :)
- OldGuyInTheClub 3y agoI just now realized that it wasn't the Wired video where Currie said he had peppers in reserve against his competitors! It is this one from Great Big Story: The whole video is good but the part I'm referring to starts at ~2m30s in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrF3jVppfr4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrF3jVppfr4
- SideburnsOfDoom 3y agoAh right. In physics, a quantum is the _smallest possible_ increment, which made the original sentence quite impenetrable.
- EForEndeavour 3y agoOn the other hand, the quantization of energy states into discrete levels as opposed to a continuum is exactly why the phrase "quantum leap" implies a sudden, very noticeable, step-change jump in some quantity.
- SideburnsOfDoom 3y agoA sudden, noticeable, sub-atomic indivisible step-change jump, indeed.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- donatzsky 3y agoThe common expression would be "a quantum leap". Which has nothing to do with the "size" of a quantum, but suggests a massive (technological) improvement and increase in capabilities - like going from a normal binary computer to a quantum computer.
- placesalt 3y agoAFAIK that usage traces back to the 1990s TV show "Quantum Leap", in which the protagonist would travel in space & time to a new place each episode. The phrase 'Quantum Leap', then, was popularly taken to mean a large change. The damage done to the vernacular by that show's title is only exceeded by the damage done to the vernacular by another piece of 1990s popular culture, Alanis Morissette's song 'Ironic'.