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Dr Jacob Ngaha. Photo / Supplied

Dr Jacob Ngaha is claiming the title of the first Mori quantum physicist. His science looks at the behaviour of matter such as atoms and energy such as light, considered the building blocks of nature and Ngaha is seeking out the parallels with Te Ao Mori.

Ngaha (Waikato-Tainui, Ngti Maniapoto, Ngti Kahu) explains quantum physics like this: If we have, say, a planet going around the sun, we can calculate a lot of things and so those rules work for very big things and those rules we are comfortable with.

After a while, we realised that, actually, if you move down into a smaller world, so, instead of a planet going around the sun, were looking at an electron moving around a nucleus. Were looking inside of an atom and those same rules dont really apply and its those rules we use that are called quantum physics.

But quantum physics wasnt Ngahas first career choice and he accidentally fell into that field in his last years of high school.

I really liked maths but I wasnt very good at it, and so I found with physics, especially quantum physics, it was like doing maths but I could kind of sit back and, if we had a problem, I could think about it and I could visualise it in my head, he said.

Quantum physics is still relatively new. Its only maybe just over 100 years old since it was first really discovered and formalised, so theres still some work that needs to be done to create a link and I think one of the important things to help create that link is to get more Mori into this space.

Ngaha envisions working with Mori astronomer Professor Rangi Mtmua to develop a big bang theory reaction in the future.

I really want to get a good, firm grasp of maybe some mtauranga Mori because Im still learning that myself. I have the mtauranga ptaiao (science education), mtauranga quantum physics but want to have a wnanga (discussion) with him to see how those things can link together.

He plans to travel the world filling his kete with quantum physics knowledge to share here in Aotearoa and also complete his reo journey.

Original post:

Aotearoa's first Mori quantum physicist is up and at 'em - New Zealand Herald