Directed by James Der Derian • Documentary • 2024 • 89 minutes

As governments, corporations and universities pour funds into quantum science, and breakthroughs in quantum technology gather pace, important questions about the reality of a quantum future remain unanswered. In a notoriously complex field where ignorance is matched by hype, Project Q: War, Peace, and Quantum Mechanics seeks to develop a multidisciplinary fluency in all things quantum.

Directed by James Der Derian, the Michael Hintze Chair of International Security Studies and Director of the Centre for International Security Studies at The University of Sydney, Project Q is an intellectual travelogue that travels from Sydney to Berlin, Brussels, Copenhagen, Singapore, Ann Arbor, Silicon Valley, Shanghai, New Delhi, Yerevan and elsewhere, tracking the origins, evolution and potential convergence of quantum science, technology and geopolitics. Beginning with the landmark 1927 Solvay Conference on Quantum Mechanics, Project Q digs into the archives of quantum theory, asks critical questions, and exposes the dark side of a quantum future.

Throughout the film, the key principles of quantum mechanics — complementarity, uncertainty, superposition, entanglement and the wave function — act as signposts for the many worlds of quantum. These principles are explained during several segments ideal for classroom use, including a discussion of Complementarity Theory by Nicholas T. Harrington, PhD; a short skit illustrating the Schrödinger's cat thought experiment concerning quantum superposition; and an appearance by Ohio State University professor Alexander Wendt discussing his theories concerning the application of quantum theory to matters of human consciousness and the social sciences.