"Why the vacuum is not as empty as you think - and what that has to do with relativity, quantum theory and computing"

In nature, perfect emptiness is impossible! Instead, the fundamental quantum fields all around us, such as the electro-magnetic field, permanently fluctuate and, therefore, also contain energy. These quantum fluctuations lead to fascinating phenomena such as the Unruh effect: Did you know that where an observer at rest sees the (quantum) vacuum, an accelerated observer sees space filled with thermal radiation? In my research I explore conceptual questions that arise from these kinds of phenomena, and their potential practical impact, particularly in technologies being developed for quantum computing where they can occur on-chip.