Not known for their in-depth knowledge of quantum physics, camels may still have a role to play in explaining uncertainty in classical terms (Image: Stock.xchng/Damo74)

WHAT does a biblical saying about a camel passing through the eye of a needle have to do with quantum uncertainty? Quite a lot, it turns out, since a mathematical concept called the “symplectic camel” promises to explain quantum uncertainty in simple classical terms.

According to Heisenberg, it is impossible to measure both the momentum and position of a quantum particle accurately because those properties are interlinked. Measuring one therefore makes the other more uncertain. …