Schrödinger’s Digital Cat Comes to Life at Moscow’s ‘Science 0+’ Festival
Scientists at Moscow State University have turned one of physics’ most famous paradoxes into an interactive digital installation — a living, animated version of Schrödinger’s cat.
At the 20th annual 'Science 0+' festival in Moscow, researchers from Lomonosov Moscow State University unveiled a unique digital art-meets-science project: an interactive box housing a virtual Schrödinger’s cat. The installation brings to life the thought experiment devised nearly a century ago by physicist Erwin Schrödinger — but with a distinctly modern twist.
Unlike the original paradox, where the cat’s fate remains uncertain, this virtual feline is always alive, playful, and curious. The wooden box is fitted with LED panels inside and out, displaying a fully animated cat that reacts to every lift of the lid. Each time the box opens, the cat is caught in a new activity — playing with its reflection, trying to escape, or simply taking a nap.
Science for Everyone
The 'Science 0+' festival, held in Moscow from October 10 to 12, brought together over a hundred venues and was dedicated to the United Nations’ International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. First launched in 2006 under the initiative of MSU Rector Viktor Sadovnichy, the festival is now part of Russia’s Decade of Science and Technology.
The installation does more than entertain — it bridges philosophy, physics, and digital art to make quantum mechanics tangible for the general public. It’s a vivid reminder that even the deepest mysteries of science can be explored through creativity, humor, and a bit of technological magic.
