Topics: Chemistry, History, Materials Science, Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamics Thermodynamics is a strange theory. Although it is fundamental to our understanding of the world, it differs dramatically from other physical theories. For that reason, it has been termed the “village witch” of physics.1 Some of the many oddities of thermodynamics are the bizarre philosophical implications of classicalContinue reading “Quantum Exorcism…”
Category Archives: Quantum Mechanics
Cooling Teleportation…
Topics: CERN, Condensed Matter Physics, Entanglement, Lasers, Quantum Mechanics Much of modern experimental physics relies on a counterintuitive principle: Under the right circumstances, zapping matter with a laser doesn’t inject energy into the system; rather, it sucks energy out. By cooling the system to a fraction of a degree above absolute zero, one can observeContinue reading “Cooling Teleportation…”
Deux Ex Machina…
Topics: Condensed Matter Physics, Modern Physics, Quantum Mechanics The existence of ghost hyperbolic surface polaritons has been demonstrated by an international collaboration including researchers in China and the US. Based at Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), National University of Singapore (NUS), National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST), and the City University ofContinue reading “Deux Ex Machina…”
Double Slit…
Topics: Modern Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Theoretical Physics One of the most counterintuitive concepts in physics – the idea that quantum objects are complementary, behaving like waves in some situations and like particles in others – just got a new and more quantitative foundation. In a twist on the classic double-slit experiment, scientists at Korea’s InstituteContinue reading “Double Slit…”
Breaking Physics…
Topics: Quantum Computer, Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamics In what could prove to be a momentous accomplishment for fundamental physics and quantum physics, scientists say they’ve finally figured out how to manufacture a scientific oddity called a time crystal. Time crystals harness a quirk of physics in which they remain ever-changing yet dynamically stable. In other words,Continue reading “Breaking Physics…”
The Weirdest Matter…
Topics: Condensed Matter Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Theoretical Physics Your desk is made up of individual, distinct atoms, but from far away its surface appears smooth. This simple idea is at the core of all our models of the physical world. We can describe what’s happening overall without getting bogged down in the complicated interactions betweenContinue reading “The Weirdest Matter…”
Space-Based Quantum Technology…
Topics: Computer Science, Quantum Computer, Quantum Mechanics Quantum technologies are already revolutionizing life on Earth. But they also have the potential to change the way we operate in space. With the U.S., China, and Europe all investing heavily in this area, these changes are likely to be with us sooner rather than later. So howContinue reading “Space-Based Quantum Technology…”
Smallest Qubit Computer…
Topics: Computer Science, Quantum Computer, Quantum Mechanics The smallest quantum computer to date has been claimed by a team of researchers in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. Using strings of trapped ions that are addressed using laser pulses, Ivan Pogorelov at the University of Innsbruck and colleagues created a system that contains 24 fully-entangled quantum bits (qubits) andContinue reading “Smallest Qubit Computer…”
Quantum Microscope…
Topics: Biology, Biotechnology, Instrumentation, Quantum Mechanics, Quantum Optics In a major scientific leap, University of Queensland researchers have created a quantum microscope that can reveal biological structures that would otherwise be impossible to see. This paves the way for applications in biotechnology, and could extend far beyond this into areas ranging from navigation to medicalContinue reading “Quantum Microscope…”
Muon g-2…
Topics: Modern Physics, Particle Physics, Quantum Mechanics Solving a mystery More than 200 scientists from around the world are collaborating with Fermilab on the Muon g-2 physics experiment which probes fundamental properties of matter and space. Muon g-2 (pronounced gee minus two) allows researchers to peer into the subatomic world to search for undiscovered particlesContinue reading “Muon g-2…”
