Joan Heemskerk - entangled binary network (Hello, world!)

This installation speculates on a quantum internet network connecting two entangled fields: the cryptographic characters Alice and Bob saying ‘Hello, world!’ in a non-binary format

During her residency at CERN, Heemskerk explored the possibility of a new universal language. This language could surpass barriers across galaxies and life forms through a re-assessment of the ubiquitous ‘Hello, world!’ string used in computer languages.

In the Laboratory, ultraviolet light can be used to manipulate quantum systems and create entangled networks. In a hydrogen atom, the spin state of its electron can become a tool for explaining the concept of binary digits in quantum computing. Heemskerk connects the fundamental building blocks of matter and the language of computers, using these as symbols to explain binary computing to future humans, Al or alien life forms in our galaxy.

The universal presence of hydrogen and its predictable spectral behavior make it an ideal model for conveying fundamental computing concepts—a shared framework for understanding quantum information exchange across different forms of intelligence in our galaxy, whether human, artificial, or extraterrestrial.