Quantum made simple

Society needs science. Science needs images.

Twenty-five animations, in French and English, explaining the key principles and foundations of quantum physics, from concepts like wave-particle duality to “magnetic frustration,” including the operation of scanning tunneling microscopes.

• 7 videos in 2012 on the fundamentals of quantum physics,
• 6 videos in 2014 on quantum research,
• 6 videos in 2016 on microscopy,
• 6 videos in 2021 on magnetism.

The project was initiated by physicist and science communicator Julien Bobroff and developed alongside Frédéric Bouquet within the Physics Reimagined group at the Solid State Physics Laboratory of Paris-Saclay University and CNRS. Their ambition goes beyond conducting research: they believe scientists should actively engage with society by making their work understandable and accessible. In a world where scientific ideas are often misunderstood or appropriated to support pseudoscientific claims, providing accurate and engaging explanations has become an essential part of research itself. Together, we created visual content that anyone can use to better understand quantum physics.

Across four production cycles between 2012 and 2021, our collaboration developed into a coherent visual language capable of explaining a wide range of topics while remaining visually consistent. This long-term relationship reflects the robustness of the approach: not a collection of isolated animations, but a communication system able to grow alongside the research.

The images were never conceived as decorative illustrations. They are an integral part of the explanation, giving shape to phenomena that cannot be observed directly and helping audiences build an intuitive understanding of abstract concepts. The continued adoption of these visuals demonstrates that they fulfill a genuine educational need.

These videos are all available on YouTube via the “Physics Reimagined” channel and are regularly used as teaching materials in high schools and universities. They also illustrate numerous Wikipedia articles, in both French and English, including Wikipedia page on Bose-Einstein condensate.

Each animation is accompanied by an original soundtrack composed by Pierre Lemerle (Lao Experiment). Rather than simply accompanying the visuals, the sound design supports the narrative, reinforces the rhythm of each explanation, and gives the series its distinctive identity.