Physics
Wave-Particle Duality in Photons
Quick fact
In the double-slit experiment, photons fired one at a time still build an interference pattern over time—but placing a detector at the slits instantly destroys the pattern, revealing particle-like behavior. This is the central mystery of wave-particle duality.
Why this is interesting
You’ve seen light as a continuous wave—but did you know that a single photon can also act like a tiny bullet, striking just one point on a detector, while still creating an interference pattern as if it passed through two slits at once?