With the extreme strides taken in physics in the early twentieth century, one of the biggest questions on the minds of scientists was what this new branch of quantum physics would be able to be used for. The twentieth century saw the rise of computers as devices that significantly aided in calculations and performing algorithms. Because of the incredible success of computers and all of the groundbreaking possibilities that they afforded, research into using quantum mechanics for these systems was proposed. Although theoretical at the time, it was found that a computer that had the ability to leverage quantum mechanics would be far superior to any classical machine. This sparked a wave of interest in research and funding in this exciting new field. General-use quantum computers have the potential to disrupt countless industries and fields of study, like physics, medicine, engineering, cryptography, finance, meteorology, climatology, and more. The supremacy of quantum computers has not yet been reached, but the continued funding and research into this new technology ensures that one day humanity will be able to unlock the full potential of quantum computing.

Space exploration and science fiction have deep historical ties with science fiction literature. From the beginning of the space race, American science fiction stories influenced policy makers, scientists, and the public in their visions of space exploration. However, in the 21st century, the who, what, and why of space exploration are changing. Space exploration is no longer the endeavor of the world's superpowers. Countries from across the global south in Asia and Africa have created space programs and have constructed spacecraft to benefit their country and their international power. The emergence of new countries and the interconnectedness of the modern world has the potential to empower postcolonial countries' perspectives and interests. India is a prime example of a country impoverished by colonialism that has now become one of the world's largest economies and a primary stakeholder in future human space exploration. Moreover, India's rich literary heritage, especially in mythology and science fiction, has the potential to predict and to shape what India brings to the international table. This thesis aims to answer the question: How will/should Indian post-colonial science fiction affect the country’s advancement of human space exploration, without making the same mistakes as the west?

I wrote a literary analysis on the early history of quantum mechanics and the discovery of quantum tunneling. Quantum tunneling has led to the discovery of explanations of ideas like alpha decay radioactivity and the invention of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM). In this paper, I discussed these two topics, with a focus on the STM.

In 1757 Edmund Burke published A Philosophical Enquiry into the Sublime and Beautiful. I will be extending his analysis of the sublime and beautiful, and using it to dissect quantum mechanics. Using Burke’s template on the sublime and beautiful, I can evaluate experiments in quantum mechanics, and explore a new side of Burke’s aesthetic theory. For the reader, I have outlined Burke’s aesthetic theory on the sublime and beautiful. I then used this analysis to explore quantum mechanics and assess the components of quantum mechanics that are beautiful and sublime.