How to See Quantum Drops of Light

Though we can see in remarkably low-light conditions, humans aren’t quite sensitive enough to see individual photons—the particles that make up all types of light. In our day-to-day lives, we are so awash with light that its particle nature is just as masked as the atomic nature of matter. We don’t feel single molecules of water, we feel the total effect of being wet; we don’t register single photons, but we can see thanks to the veritable ocean of light engulfing us.

Nevertheless, individual photons are just as real and important as individual atoms, molecules, and electrons. While