A Duke Professor Studies Light at the Quantum Level, What He Found Changed His Testimony (with Prof Aaron Franklin)
A teenager with no religious background walked into the Mesa Arizona Temple visitor center and felt something shift. That single visit led to baptism, a mission to Georgia, and a return home determined to finish college. But Aaron Franklin had flunked out with a 0.96 GPA. What changed wasn't just his academics—it was him. He came home from his mission transformed, finished with a 4.0, and became one of the world's most influential nanotechnology researchers. Today, as a Duke professor studying light at the quantum level, he's discovered that physical light and spiritual light operate by the same principles.
In this episode of Why We Believe, Aaron shares the miracle that unfolded during his mission when his stake president's prophecy came to pass in ways that defied logic. He explains how yielding everything to God didn't just change his grades—it changed his capacity. And he reveals what years of studying light have taught him about Jesus Christ as the light of the world. Aaron doesn't compartmentalize his lab work and his testimony. The gospel principles that govern light in the quantum world mirror the principles that govern light in our spiritual lives.
Loved this episode?Hit Follow and share it with someone who needs to hear how faith and science can strengthen each other. Leave a review for Why We Believe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Your support helps us bring more inspiring conversations like this to listeners everywhere!
Visit WhyWeBelieve.com to download Your FREE guide on 13 Strategies to Increase Faith in Jesus Christ, to support you as you strengthen your own testimony of Jesus Christ.
Follow the Why We Believe Show
Website: WhyWeBelieve.com | YouTube: @WhyWeBelieveShow | LinkedIn: @Why-We-Believe-Show | Instagram: @WhyWeBelievePodcast
Follow Nathan Gwilliam
LinkedIn: @NathanGwilliam
Follow Prof Aaron Franklin
LinkedIn: @aarondfranklin | Website: AaronDFranklin.com