[Ghoulish Delight]

The best answer to the question of particle vs. wave and potentiality collapses lies in the definition of "observe".

It's a poor choice of words, imo, that has unfortunately stuck because it makes for a good mental image, but it does not mean "observe" in the sense of "only when a conscious being makes an observation." It simple means "is interacted with."

Left alone, in a vacuum, isolated from all other molecules, atoms, particles, the electrons around an individual atom remain in a state of pure potential. The only certainty you can say is that, "If something tries to interact with this atom, the mass and charge of its electrons will act as if they are at some point within a particular region around the atom. What the exact point is, at the exact moment of interaction is unknown. All we can say about it is that for each possible point within that region, there is a certain, known, probability that the electron will be at that point."

However, the instant anything, ANYTHING, interacts with the atom/electron, that collapses, and the position is definite. It has nothing to do with consciousness, or a person "observing" it.