“Rewolucja Stanu” — comics about Quantum Informatics co-authored by Prof. Piotr Gawron

Scientists are sometimes really capable of surprising us, and not just with their scientific discoveries.The second extended edition of “Rewolucja Stanu”, a comic book about quantum informatics, has recently been published. It is co-authored by Prof. Piotr Gawron, leader of AstroCeNT research group 5.

Piotr, where did the idea to make comics come from? The very name Quantum Informatics sounds so serious that it is hard to imagine creating something like a comic book:)
The idea came from a combination of several facts. First of all, I’ve been dealing with quantum informatics since the fourth year of my studies, when I started working as a researcher in the Quantum Systems of Informatics of the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Informatics of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Gliwice. Secondly, my friendship with Michał Cholewa, a mathematician, computer scientist and writer, and Katarzyna Kara, a cartoonist, allowed me to form the appropriate team. Thirdly, the Foundation for Polish Science opened the Skills project, within which it was possible to obtain funds for the popularisation of science.
What is it about?
The book consists of two parts: the first is comic and the second is scientific. The storyline of the comic part takes place in some undefined future, ruled by an organisation that guards access to knowledge. In this world quantum informatics has developed, but at the same time it is treated as a forbidden art. In the story, a certain organisation is trying to gain access to all the knowledge accumulated by Humanity. But to do so, they have to steal quantum cryptographic keys…
In order to understand the story, the reader has to understand a number of concepts from the field of quantum informatics…
Yes, these concepts are explained in the scientific part. The science part also contains all the necessary mathematical definitions to understand the basic elements of quantum informatics.
Who did you write and draw it for?
I jokingly claimed that for myself 20 years earlier. That is, for young people interested in science who need some encouragement to explore a new field of knowledge.
Tell us a few words about the team.
In the realisation of the second edition the authors of the first edition (me, Michał Cholewa and Katarzyna Kara) took part, as well as new persons, i.e. Kamil Hendzel as the coordinator and editor of the edition, Oskar Słowik, the author of the part concerning quantum computing, Marek Stefaniak and Piotr Biskupski, the authors of the part concerning the application of quantum computing in finance.
What was your contribution to the project?
My work consisted in creating the idea of the comic book, proposing quantum computing processes to be used in the comic book, writing the scientific part, typesetting the book in LaTeX and coordinating the first edition.
Where can readers download the book or buy the paperback version?
The first edition is available for download from https://depot.ceon.pl/handle/123456789/16807 . The second edition will be sold in bookshops. We are currently planning the translation of the book into English.