Quantum Poetry
There is still time to enter the IYQ Poetry Contest, so poets who happen to enjoy quantum themes are encouraged to apply.
With the return of the global Brilliant quantum Poetry Competition, the UN’s UNESCO-designated International Year of Quantum (IYQ) invites poets worldwide to investigate quantum research through poetry. World Poetry Day is March 21, 2025, and this free contest continues until June 30, 2025.
The event marks the UNESCO International Year of Quantum Science and Technology and quantum mechanics‘ 100th anniversary in 2025. Through education and communication, IYQ 2025 hopes to inspire future quantum scientists, promote awareness, and assist the quantum workforce. The Brilliant quantum Poetry Competition distinguishes quantum science as a “wellspring of inspiration for poets, artists, and thinkers alike” in addition to being an area for physicists by promoting imaginative inquiry.
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Professor Sam Illingworth, a scientific poetry professor at Edinburgh Napier University and the contest’s creator, is leading the effort. “The best quantum Poetry, like the best science, is about curiosity, observation, and making sense of the world in new ways,” says Professor Illingworth in a beautiful way. According to him, authors can “explore science with both wonder and precision, creating work that resonates across disciplines” in “Brilliant poetry.” Kylie Ahern developed The Brilliant, a global online newspaper devoted to science communication that combines artistic expression with scientific research to promote a closer bond between science and the general public. The publication powers the competition.
The competition’s connection to IYQ 2025 emphasises quantum issues, however poets can be inspired by any scientific notion. This involves studying superposition and quantum entanglement, which keep particles connected across long distances. The well-known Schrödinger’s cat thought experiment, which investigates whether a cat is alive or dead based on the state of a quantum system, also provides a wealth of poetic material. The organisers believe that these intricate and breathtaking subjects are “perfect for poetic exploration”.
This year’s theme’s photonics, an important quantum research subject, is exciting. Poets should study photons’ quantum properties, especially how they can be particles and waves. Quantum-level interactions between light and matter have advanced computer, communication, quantum encryption, and imaging and sensing technologies. By bringing quantum concepts to life in “vibrant, tangible ways,” photonics offers poets a fascinating topic.
The Brilliant Quantum Poetry Competition is available to authors worldwide and is free to enter. A single unique poem, composed entirely by humans without the aid of artificial intelligence, may be submitted by each participant. Poems must be 40 words in English, French, or Spanish and inspired by quantum topics. First, second, and third place winners get £1,000, £500, and £250. International attention will be drawn to these excellent contributions in a live online reading event marking quantum science and technology’s 100th anniversary.
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Submissions are now due June 30, 2025, instead of June 20. Submissions must be made at TheBrilliantPoetry.com. A longlist of roughly 30–40 poems will be chosen by the organising committee after reviewing all submissions from July to September 2025. Known judges will select this longlist of ten exceptional poems in September and present them in October 2025. November 10, 2025, is World Science Day for Peace and Development, which will announce and honour winners.
Award-winning scientist, science communicator, and science and culture advocate Diego Golombek judges the tournament. Jean-Pierre Luminet, PhD, French scientist, author, and artist, studies black holes and cosmology with him. Kalinga Prize laureate and CNRS emeritus research director Luminet generated the first computer-simulated black hole image and spreads science through quantum Poetry, literature, and visual arts.
Brilliant quantum Poetry is more than a competition; it promotes poetry’s ability to simplify and captivate scientific study. It deepens the understanding of knowledge and discoveries to emphasise artistic expression. The Brilliant fosters science-public relations by combining art and science and telling the human tales behind breakthroughs.
All poets can unleash their minds and convey their own perspectives. This contest provides a singular chance to participate in a worldwide celebration where “words meet wonder,” uniting art and science to honour a genuinely groundbreaking topic and excite a global audience.
In Conclusion
Submissions for this international poetry contest, which is run by The Brilliant quantum Poetry and sponsored by UNESCO’s International Year of Quantum (IYQ), are accepted until June 30, 2025. To make difficult scientific concepts more approachable and interesting, this competition encourages poets to investigate quantum science in rhyme. One original, human-written quantum Poetry of no more than forty lines in English, French, or Spanish may be submitted by each participant; winners will get monetary awards and international exposure. The UN announced the 2025 IYQ to celebrate quantum mechanics’ 100th anniversary and educate the public, inspire young scientists, and raise awareness. Judged by experts in both fields, the competition promotes art-science creativity.
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