Of all the eccentricities of the quantum realm, time crystals—atomic arrangements that repeat certain motions over time—might be some of the weirdest. But they certainly exist, and to provide more solid proof, physicists have finally created a time crystal we can actually see. In a recent Nature Materials paper, physicists at the University of Colorado […]
First-Ever Look at Exploding Molecules Reveals Their Quantum Secrets
In the quantum world, molecules are always on the move. And for the first time ever, scientists have directly captured these tiny quantum dances in action—and they did so by blowing them up real good. Even at absolute zero, individual particles constantly vibrate without a fixed position, a phenomenon referred to as zero-point motion. In […]
Twist on Famous Double-Slit Experiment Deals a Blow to Einstein’s Quantum Doubts
Albert Einstein famously disliked quantum theory’s understanding that physical objects, including light, exist as both a particle and a wave, and that this duality could not be simultaneously observed. But a new, simple iteration of a foundational quantum experiment offers the most conclusive, direct evidence yet that Einstein may have been wrong. In a recent […]
After 100 Years of Quantum Mechanics, Physicists Still Can’t Agree on Anything
In July 1925—exactly a century ago—famed physicist Werner Heisenberg wrote a letter to his equally famous colleague, Wolfgang Pauli. In it, Heisenberg confesses that his “views on mechanics have become more radical with each passing day,” requesting Pauli’s prompt feedback on an attached manuscript he’s considering whether to “complete…or to burn.” That was the Umdeutung […]
Radical New Theory Rewrites the Story of the Earliest Universe
Following the Big Bang, our universe expanded at an exponential rate. According to this theory, known as cosmic inflation, the explosive growth produced tiny quantum fluctuations that later evolved into galaxies. Cosmic inflation neatly explains how our universe got so large and mostly homogenous, and that’s why it’s remained a strong theory in cosmology for […]
NASA Wants to Track Earth’s Gravity With a Cloud of Floating Atoms in Space
Buckle up, nerds: NASA is building the first quantum gravity sensor for space—a suitcase-sized instrument that could soon be measuring everything from subterranean water to hidden reserves of petroleum, all by watching how clouds of atoms act under the force of gravity. Researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), along with several partners, are developing the […]