Category Archives: Quantum Physics
History Shows How to Win the Quantum Computing Race – Yahoo News Canada
The Dilution refrigerator is seen inside Amazon's quantum networking lab in Brighton, Mass., on June 28, 2023. Credit - Jessica RinaldiThe Boston Globe via Getty Images
In 1981, physicist Richard Feynman first theorized the creation of quantum computers that harnessed the principles of quantum physics to process calculations that would take standard computers millennia or longer to compute. Over the next four decades, however, research failed to advance significantly enough for the machines to have much impact on society.
But breakthroughs in 2023 signaled that quantum computers have embarked on a new era, one that may unleash a technological revolution full of possibilitiessome good and some bad. On the positive side, quantum computers could lead to the development of new drugs to combat cancer. On the negative side, however, they can break the encryption we use multiple times per day for everything from sending texts to financial transactions.
But this isnt the first quantum race in history that pitted the U.S. against its adversariesand the past provides a guide for how the U.S. can win the coming computing revolution. In the 1940s, a quantum race produced the creation of nuclear weapons and unleashed a technology explosion. Crucially, the U.S. won the competition to harness the new technology. Not only did American scientists create the first nuclear weapons, but advancements in lasers and in chips for computers made the U.S. the home for global innovation.
That only happened, however, because policymakers supplied the funding and support necessary to ensure superiority. In 2024, by contrast, a key quantum funding bill has stalled while allies and adversaries are sinking billions into quantum research and development. Without action, history shows that the U.S. risks falling behind especially in leadership for the revolutionary power of quantum technologies.
Quantum physics developed in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. As World War II erupted in the 1930s and 1940s, German, Hungarian, and Italian physicists escaped to the U.S. Many of them joined J. Robert Oppenheimer and his American colleagues in the Manhattan Projectwhich birthed the atomic bomb and simultaneously elevated the U.S. as the home for quantum science.
In the ensuing decades, Feynman and other scientists who cut their teeth on the Manhattan Project inspired profound innovation from quantum physics that became woven into the fabric of American life. The first quantum revolution created nuclear weapons and energy, global positioning systems, lasers, magnetic resonance imaging, and the chips that would power the rise of the personal computer.
Read More: Quantum Computers Could Solve Countless ProblemsAnd Create a Lot of New Ones
Although many countries like the Soviet Union built nuclear weapons, none rivaled the U.S. in pioneering innovation. The Soviet launch of Sputnik in 1957 and the space race produced an explosion of federal funding for science and education that was at the root of American success. Further, the Department of Defense provided crucial sponsorship for visionary, but risky, research that developed the internet, stealth capabilities, and voice assistants like Siri. This combination propelled the U.S. to unparalleled innovation heights in the decades after World War II.
The technologies born from the first quantum revolution were at the core of American national defense, and also reshaped civilian life in the U.S., most especially through the development of personal computers and the Information Revolution.
But even as personal computers were beginning to revolutionize American life in 1981, Feynman insisted in a pivotal lecture that something more was possible. He argued that a quantum computer with processing power magnitudes greater than even the highest performing computer then in existence offered the only way to unlock the true knowledge of the world. Feynman admitted, however, that building such a machine required staggering complexity.
The ensuing four decades have proved him correct on the obstacles involved. Designing a quantum computer required tremendous advances in theory as well as materials and components. Since the 1980s, progress has crept along, and many joked that quantum computers would always be 10 to 20 years away.
In 1994, mathematician Peter Shor discovered an algorithm that created a method for a quantum computer to calculate the large prime numbers used in encryption. Despite this breakthrough, the pace of developments since Shors discovery has remained glacial. Persistent funding from the National Security Agency and the Department of Defense especially the former has sustained innovation, but the results have been uneven, because scientists have been unable to build a quantum computer that wasnt plagued by errors.
In the past 10 years, private technology companies such as IBM, Google, and Microsoft have made significant investments in quantum computing, which have pushed the field to new heights of maturity and accelerated a global race for quantum dominance one with major national security and cybersecurity implications.
Even so, todays quantum computers still have yet to outperform standard computers due to regular errors caused by radiation, heat, or improper materials. These errors make quantum computers useless for things like, for example, designing new drugs, because scientists cant replicate an experiment accurately. But all of that is changing quickly.
Advances by IBM and a Harvard team in 2023 demonstrated that error correction is on the horizon and the era of quantum utility has arrived. In July 2023, IBM announced peer reviewed evidence from experiments that indicated the company had made strides in mitigating the errors that have long plagued quantum computing. A few months later in December, a Harvard team and the company QuEra published encouraging results from experiments that showed they too had developed a quantum process with enhanced error-correction.
Read More: How the AI Revolution Will Reshape the World
But its not only American companies and universities trying to figure out how to mitigate the errors that have limited the possibilities of quantum computers. Over the last 15 years, Chinese physicists have undertaken an ambitious program aimed at making their country the world leader in quantum technologies. One estimate pegs China which has invested over $15 billion in the project as a leader or near equal to the U.S. in this new realm of science. In 2023, results from experiments suggested that Chinese physicists were notching impressive achievements that may enable them to construct a quantum computer that could outpace those developed in the U.S.
The consequences of Chinese superiority in this realm would be seismic. The U.S.s foremost adversary would then be able to crack the encryption Americans use every day for secure internet traffic and messaging, and which the U.S. government and its allies use to protect secret communications. One organization projects that the world has a mere six years before this capacity exists. Other estimates insist that date is as far as 10 years away. But it is coming fast.
That means the U.S. has to get out ahead of this impending technology to forestall disastrous consequences in every realm of American life. In May 2022 the White House announced plans to prepare the nation for post-quantum encryption alongside efforts being undertaken by private companies like Apple and Google. But Congress failed to renew a landmark federal funding bill for quantum research and development in 2023. Meanwhile, China and European countries are not flinching at devoting billions to quantum.
Quantum computing breakthroughs in 2023 herald a bright future that will transform life and economics. Technology sits on the cusp of fulfilling Feynmans vision and understanding the world and universe unlike ever before. An error-correcting quantum computer would launch the second quantum revolution, and a race is on to preserve the U.S.s leadership in science for one of the 21st centurys most prized technologies. To win that race, the federal government needs to make a concerted push to sustain American preeminence in quantum computing and other quantum technologies like sensing. Thats how the U.S. won the first quantum revolution and the stakes are too high not to learn from this past triumph.
The opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of LLNL, LLNS, DOE, NNSA, or the U.S. government.
Brandon Kirk Williams is a senior fellow at the Center for Global Security Research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Made by History takes readers beyond the headlines with articles written and edited by professional historians. Learn more about Made by History at TIME here. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors.
Write to Made by History at madebyhistory@time.com.
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History Shows How to Win the Quantum Computing Race - Yahoo News Canada
Qubits Could be Stored in Flash-Like Memory – Photonics.com
HOUSTON, April 29, 2024 Rice University physicists have discovered a phase-changing quantum material and a method for finding more of it that could potentially be used to create flash like memory capable of storing qubits, even when a quantum computer is powered down.
Phase-changing materials have been used in commercially available nonvolatile digital memory. In rewritable DVDs, for example, a laser is used to heat minute bits of material that cools to form either crystals or amorphous clumps. Two phases of the material, which have very different optical properties, are used to store the ones and zeros of digital bits of information.
In a study published in Nature Communications, Rice physicist Ming Yi and more than three dozen co-authors from a dozen institutions similarly showed they could use heat to toggle a crystal of iron, germanium, and tellurium between two electronic phases. In each of these, the restricted movement of electrons produces topologically protected quantum states. Ultimately, storing qubits in topologically protected states could potentially reduce decoherence-related errors that have plagued quantum computing.
This came completely as a surprise, Yi said of the discovery. We were initially interested in this material because of its magnetic properties. But then we would conduct a measurement and see this one phase, and then for another measurement we would see the other. Nominally it was the same material, but the results were very different.
It took more than two years and collaborative work with dozens of colleagues to decipher what was happening in the experiments. The researchers found some of the crystal samples had cooled faster than others when they were heated prior to the experiments.
Thats the key finding, she said of the materials switchable vacancy order. The idea of using vacancy order to control topology is the important thing. That just hasnt really been explored. People have generally only been looking at materials from a fully stoichiometric perspective, meaning everythings occupied with a fixed set of symmetries that lead to one kind of electronic topology. Changes in vacancy order change the lattice symmetry. This work shows how that can change the electronic topology. And it seems likely that vacancy order could be used to induce topological changes in other materials as well.
Co-author of the study and Rice theoretical physicist Qimiao Si said, I find it amazing that my experimentalist colleagues can arrange a change of crystalline symmetry on the fly. It enables a completely unexpected and yet fully welcoming switching capacity for theory as well as we seek to design and control new forms of topology through the cooperation of strong correlations and space group symmetry.
The research was published in Nature Communications (www.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46862-z).
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Scientists Uncover Surprising Reversal in Quantum Systems – SciTechDaily
Researchers have demonstrated how topological effects in an artificially constructed solid can be manipulated using magnetic fields to switch particle interactions on or off, potentially paving the way for advances in quantum technologies. Their experiments, which involved topological pumping in systems of cold fermionic potassium atoms trapped in laser-created lattices, showed that these systems can robustly transport particles in predictable directions, even when encountering barriers that reverse their movement.
Generally, its advised not to compare apples to oranges. However, in the field of topology, a branch of mathematics, this comparison is necessary. Apples and oranges, it turns out, are said to be topologically the same since they both lack a hole in contrast to doughnuts or coffee cups, for instance, which both have one (the handle in the case of the cup) and, hence, are topologically equal.
In a more abstract way, quantum systems in physics can also have a specific apple or doughnut topology, which manifests itself in the energy states and motion of particles. Researchers are very interested in such systems as their topology makes them robust against disorder and other disturbing influences, which are always present in natural physical systems.
Things get particularly interesting if, in addition, the particles in such a system interact, meaning that they attract or repel each other, like electrons in solids. Studying topology and interactions together in solids, however, is extremely difficult. A team of researchers at ETH led by Tilman Esslinger has now managed to detect topological effects in an artificial solid, in which the interactions can be switched on or off using magnetic fields. Their results, which have just been published in the scientific journal Science, could be used in quantum technologies in the future.
Zijie Zhu, a PhD student in Esslingers lab and first author of the study, and his colleagues constructed the artificial solid using extremely cold atoms (fermionic potassium atoms), which were trapped in spatially periodic lattices using laser beams. Additional laser beams caused the energy levels of adjacent lattice sites to move up and down periodically, out of sync with respect to each other. After some time, the researchers measured the positions of the atoms in the lattice, initially without interactions between the atoms. In this experiment they observed that the doughnut topology of the energy states caused the particles to be transported by one lattice site, always in the same direction, at each repetition of the cycle.
The results of the ETH researchers as an homage to Andy Warhol. The image shows the experimental results of topological pumping. Credit: Quantum Optics Group / ETH Zurich
This can be imagined as the action of a screw, says Konrad Viebahn, Senior Postdoc in Esslingers team. The screwing motion is a clockwise rotation around its axis, but the screw itself moves in the forward direction as a result. With each revolution, the screw advances a certain distance, which is independent of the speed at which one turns the screw. Such a behavior, also known as topological pumping, is typical of certain topological systems.
But what if the screw hits an obstacle? In the experiment of the ETH researchers, that obstacle was an additional laser beam that restricted the freedom of movement of the atoms in the longitudinal direction. After around 100 revolutions of the screw, the atoms ran into a wall, as it were. In the analogy used above, the wall represents an apple topology in which topological pumping cannot take place.
Surprisingly, the atoms didnt simply stop at the wall, but suddenly turned around. The screw was thus moving backward, although it kept being turned clockwise. Esslinger and his team explain this return by the two doughnut topologies that exist in the lattice one with a clockwise-turning doughnut and another one that turns in the opposite direction. At the wall, the atoms can change from one topology to the other, thus inverting their direction of motion.
Now the researchers switched on a repulsive interaction between the atoms and watched what happened. Again, they were in for a surprise: The atoms now turned around at an invisible barrier even before reaching the laser wall. Using model calculations, we were able to show that the invisible barrier was created by the atoms themselves through their mutual repulsion, explains PhD student Anne-Sophie Walter.
With these observations, we have taken a big step towards a better understanding of interacting topological systems, says Esslinger, who studies such effects in the framework of an Advanced Grant of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF). As a next step, he wants to perform further experiments to investigate whether the topological screw is as robust as expected with respect to disorder, and how the atoms behave in two or three spatial dimensions.
Esslinger also has some practical applications in mind. For instance, the transport of atoms or ions by topological pumping could be used as a qubit highway to take the qubits (quantum bits) in quantum computers to the right places without heating them up or disturbing their quantum states.
Reference: Reversal of quantized Hall drifts at noninteracting and interacting topological boundaries by Zijie Zhu, Marius Gchter, Anne-Sophie Walter, Konrad Viebahn and Tilman Esslinger, 18 April 2024, Science. DOI: 10.1126/science.adg3848
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Scientists Uncover Surprising Reversal in Quantum Systems - SciTechDaily
Quantum computing breakthrough could happen with just hundreds, not millions, of qubits using new error-correction … – Livescience.com
Quantum computers that are more powerful than the fastest supercomputers could be closer than experts have predicted, researchers from startup Nord Quantique argue.
That's because the company has built an individual error-correcting physical qubit that could dramatically cut the number of qubits needed to achieve quantum advantage (which is where quantum computers are genuinely useful).
Eventually, this could lead to a machine that achieves quantum supremacy where a quantum computer is more powerful than classical computers.
Unlike classical bits that encode data as 1 or 0, qubits rely on the laws of quantum mechanics to achieve "coherence" and encode data as a superposition of 1 or 0 meaning data is encoded in both states simultaneously.
In quantum computers, multiple qubits can be stitched together through quantum entanglement where qubits can share the same information no matter how far they are separated over time or space to process calculations in parallel, while classical computers can only process calculations in sequence.
But qubits are "noisy," meaning they are highly prone to interference from their environment, such as changes in temperature, which leads to high error rates. For that reason, they often need to be cooled to near absolute zero, but even then they can still fall into "decoherence" midway through calculations and fail due to external factors.
Related: How could this new type of room-temperature qubit usher in the next phase of quantum computing?
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This high error rate means a quantum computer would need to have millions of qubits to achieve quantum supremacy. But today's most powerful quantum computers contain just 1,000 qubits.
This is why research is heavily focused on reducing qubit error rate. One way to reduce errors is by building a "logical qubit," in which several qubits are entangled to behave as one effective, error-free qubit during calculations. This relies on redundancy a concept in computer science in which the same data is stored in multiple places.
Scientists at Nord Quantique have taken a different approach, instead designing an individual physical qubit, then applying "bosonic codes" during operation to reduce errors at the individual qubit level. They outlined their findings in a study published April 12 in the journal Physical Review Letters. Bosonic codes are error-correcting codes designed specifically for systems that use bosonic modes such as photons. They exploit bosons' quantum properties to protect information against errors.
Nord Quantique's scientists built one "bosonic qubit," which is around the size of a walnut, from up to 10 microwave photons, or light particles, that resonate in a highly pure superconducting aluminum cavity which is cooled to near absolute zero.
The bosonic codes were then applied while calculations were underway to correct two types of quantum errors "bit-flips," or when 0s and 1s are read as each other; and "phase-flips," when the probability of a qubit being either positive or negative is flipped.
Their bosonic codes extended the coherence time of individual qubits by 14%, which the scientists said is the best result to date. Simulations also showed that error correction is not only viable but likely to be stronger when adding additional qubits to the existing single qubit, scientists wrote in their paper.
Using just hundreds of these qubits in a quantum computer could lead to quantum advantage rather than the millions of qubits scientists have previously thought we would need, study co-author and Nord Quantique's chief technology officer, Julien Camirand Lemyre, told Live Science. The increased qubit lifetime, thanks to the design, coupled with claimed operational clock speeds of up to 1,000 times more than comparable machines, means vastly more calculations can be performed in this short window. It means the "overhead" of redundant qubits is not required versus a machine that uses no error correction or even one with logical qubits.
Other companies, such as Quantinuum and QuEra, are using different approaches to reduce the error rate, but most rely on logical qubits. Lemyre argued his company's approach is better than this "brute force" method.
"Nord Quantique's approach to building qubits involves building the redundancy necessary for error correction directly into the hardware that makes up each physical qubit. So, in a sense we are making physical qubits into logical qubits through a combination of our unique architecture and use of what we call bosonic codes," Lemyre said.
Still, obstacles to quantum supremacy remain. Lemyre noted that larger quantum computers will need "a handful of physical qubits" to correct the few errors the bosonic codes miss.
The company's next step is to finish building a system, expected by Fall of this year, with multiple error-correcting physical qubits. If everything goes to plan, Nord Quantique is hoping to release a quantum computer with about 100 of these qubits by 2028, Lemyre said.
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Making sense of the maths | Opinion – Chemistry World
When, 99 years ago, Werner Heisenberg invented the first real theory of quantum mechanics, he didnt worry much about what it meant. Thats to say, he didnt try to articulate it as a picture of what the world was like. It was purely a mathematical formalism, an austere calculus of matrices that enabled him to make predictions about, say, the spectra of atoms, based on quantities that had already been measured.
Defending this absence of a physical picture in 1930, Heisenberg wrote that: It is not surprising that our language should be incapable of describing the processes occurring within the atoms, for it was invented to describe the experiences of daily life, and these consist only of processes involving exceedingly large numbers of atoms.
Fortunately, he went on, mathematics is not subject to this limitation, and it has been possible to invent a mathematical scheme the quantum theory which seems entirely adequate for the treatment of atomic processes. Anyone who insists on a visualisation, meanwhile, would have to be content with incomplete analogies among which he included the rival quantum mechanics devised in 1926 by Erwin Schrdinger, which described the properties and behaviour of quantum entities in the mathematical language of waves and interference.
Fortunately, he went on, mathematics is not subject to this limitation, and it has been possible to invent a mathematical scheme the quantum theory which seems entirely adequate for the treatment of atomic processes. Anyone who insists on a visualisation, meanwhile, would have to be content with incomplete analogies.
Its still common today to hear the claim that you dont really understand quantum mechanics until youve wrestled with the maths. In its extreme form, the argument is that all talk of particles in many places at once, or spooky action at a distance, are mere fluff: stories to tell students and non-scientists, all of them a bit misleading.
Its true that it is particularly hard to put quantum mechanics notoriously counterintuitive nature into words. But the same claim is sometimes made for science more generally. As Galileo put it, nature is a book written in the language of mathematics and if we dont understand that language, we will be forever lost in a dark labyrinth.
I suspect this is a particularly widespread view in physics, but it crops up too in chemistry and even biology. It is a valid riposte to the antipathy to maths often evident in public life: Stephen Hawkings claim that every equation in a popular-science book will halve its sales was simplistic but correct in spirit. Physicist Sean Carrolls 2022 book The Biggest Ideas in the Universe: Space, Time and Motion takes an admirable stand in refusing to deny the reader the basic maths behind these concepts, trusting that they can handle it. Eugene Wigner was surely right to say we should be grateful for the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics in the formulation of physical laws.
Maths only truly illuminates when translated into physical terms
But there is a profound difference between using the maths and understanding the science. That, after all, was the whole point of physicist David Mermins flippant description of the attitude to quantum theory allegedly displayed by Heisenberg, his mentor Niels Bohr, and the rest of the Copenhagen group: Shut up and calculate. You have a mathematical formalism that works very well for predicting observations dont waste time asking what it means. Mermin later admitted that this was not so much a description of the Copenhagen interpretation itself but of the typical view within the United States in the 1950s and 60s: it wasnt that the maths itself supplied a deeper understanding, but rather that it obviated any need for that.
This too is how maths often functions in scientific discourse. Weve all seen conference slides stuffed with equations that no one can hope to follow, included not to aid comprehension but as a display of bona fides: look, theres serious theory behind all this. The maths only truly illuminates when translated into physical terms: this bit accounts for dissipation, this is the heat flow, this is a noise term.
In other words, genuine understanding demands something like a causal narrative. Galileo was, to put it bluntly, wrong: maths is not the language of nature, but a tool with which we are able to make quantitative predictions about some aspects of nature (while being of very little help for anticipating others say, how the human body will respond to a drug). For the grad student (guilty confession here) maths can even be something to hide behind: if you can crank the handle and get results, you can disguise (for a while) the fact that you dont quite grasp the underlying science.
Einstein knew this, warning of Heisenbergs matrix mechanics that [it] alone does not bring salvation. Even Heisenberg could not abjure a physical explanation for the weird fact (to him, unversed in matrix algebra) that his matrices did not commute. This was the origin of his uncertainty principle, which he tried to explain with reference to the uncertainty created in either position or momentum if we try to observe an electron with a gamma ray. Bohr was horrified not because his protg was trying to produce a visualisation, but because it was so clear Heisenberg didnt understand the physics of microscopes.
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New Material Realizes Superconductivity in the Quantum Hall Regime – AZoQuantum
Apr 25 2024Reviewed by Lexie Corner
Researchers at The University of Manchester have made a noteworthy advancement in the field of superconductivity by employing a recently developed one-dimensional (1D) system to successfully achieve robust superconductivity in high magnetic fields. The research was published in Nature.
This discovery provides a viable route toward realizing condensed matter physics' long-standing goal of superconductivity in the quantum Hall regime.
The capacity of some materials to conduct electricity without any resistance, known as superconductivity, offers enormous promise for the development of quantum technologies. It has provenextremely difficult to achieve superconductivity in the quantum Hall regime, which is characterized by quantized electrical conductance.
The Manchester team led by Professor Andre Geim, Dr. Julien Barrier, and Dr. Na Xin initially pursued the traditional path of bringing counterpropagating edge states near one another. This strategy, though, turned out to be constrained.
Our initial experiments were primarily motivated by the strong, persistent interest in proximity superconductivity induced along quantum Hall edge states; this possibility has led to numerous theoretical predictions regarding the emergence of new particles known as non-abelian anyons.
Dr..Julien Barrier, Study Lead Author, Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester
The group then investigated a novel approach motivated by their previous findings, showing that graphene domain boundaries may be highly conductive. By sandwiching such domain walls between two superconductors, they minimized the effects of disorder while achieving the desired ultimate proximity between counterpropagating edge states.
Dr. Barrier recalled, We were encouraged to observe large supercurrents at relatively balmy temperatures up to one Kelvin in every device we fabricated.
Subsequent analysis showed that strictly 1D electronic states existing within the domain walls were the source of the proximity superconductivity, rather than the quantum Hall edge states propagating along the walls.
These 1D states showed a higher ability to hybridize with superconductivity than quantum Hall edge states, and their existence was confirmed by Professor Vladimir Fal'ko's theory group at the National Graphene Institute. The strong supercurrents at high magnetic fields are thought to be caused by the intrinsic one-dimensionality of the interior states.
Single-mode 1D superconductivity has been discovered, opening up exciting new research directions.
In our devices, electrons propagate in two opposite directions within the same nanoscale space and without scattering; such 1D systems are exceptionally rare and hold promise for addressing a wide range of problems in fundamental physics.
Dr. Julien Barrier, Study Lead Author, Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester
The group has previously shown that it is possible to control these electronic states with gate voltage and see standing electron waves that change the superconducting characteristics.
It is fascinating to think what this novel system can bring us in the future. The 1D superconductivity presents an alternative path towards realizing topological quasiparticles combining the quantum Hall effect and superconductivity; this is just one example of the vast potential our findings hold.
Dr. Na Xin, Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester
This research from The University of Manchester is a significant advancement in the field of superconductivity, coming two decades after the first 2D material graphene was discovered. The creation of this unique 1D superconductor is anticipated to spark interest from a variety of scientific communities and open doors for the development of quantum technologies and new physics research.
Barrier, J., et al. (2024) One-dimensional proximity superconductivity in the quantum Hall regime. Nature. doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07271-w
Source: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/
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New Material Realizes Superconductivity in the Quantum Hall Regime - AZoQuantum
10 Bizarre Scientific Theories That Experts Are Seriously Considering – Listverse
In an era when scientific discovery advances at an unprecedented pace, our understanding of the universe is constantly being challenged and redefined. Among these emerging insights are theories so unconventional and profound that they seem more akin to the plotlines of science fiction novels than serious scientific discourse. Yet these hypotheses are not the musings of overactive imaginations but the subjects of earnest investigation by experts in their respective fields. They invite us to reconsider not just the fabric of reality but the very essence of consciousness, matter, and the cosmos.
At the heart of these explorations is the realization that reality may be far more intricate and interconnected than we once believed. Theories such as the holographic principle challenge our conventional understanding of space and dimensions, suggesting that our perception of a three-dimensional universe might be nothing more than an elaborate projection from a two-dimensional boundary. Similarly, the concept of quantum entanglement communication pushes the boundaries of what we consider possible, proposing a method of instantaneous information transfer that defies the limits of space and time as defined by the speed of light.
These theories, along with others that speculate on the nature of consciousness, the potential of artificial intelligence, and the mysteries of matter itself, represent a frontier of human inquiry that is as daunting as it is exhilarating. They compel us to question not only the nature of our universe but also our place within it. As we stand on the cusp of potentially groundbreaking discoveries, we are reminded that the universe is a place of endless mystery and wonder, waiting to reveal its secrets to those bold enough to question the apparent realities of their existence.
Related: Top 10 Most Unusual Structures In The Universe
Diving into the realm of cosmic mysteries, the Conscious Universe theory presents a radical departure from traditional scientific viewpoints. This hypothesis entertains the possibility that the universe itself may possess a form of consciousness, suggesting that the cosmos is not just a vast expanse of inanimate matter but a living, thinking entity. Proponents of this theory argue that such a universal consciousness could have profound implications for our understanding of everything from the creation of life to the fundamental laws that govern reality.
It posits that rather than being passive observers in an indifferent universe, everything in existence might be interconnected through a cosmic consciousness, potentially influencing the evolution of life and the very fabric of space-time itself. The implications of a conscious universe are far-reaching and mind-bending. It challenges the foundations of our understanding of reality, proposing that consciousness could be as fundamental to the cosmos as gravity or electromagnetism.
This perspective opens new avenues for understanding the enigmatic phenomena of quantum mechanics, suggesting that at the heart of existence might lie a universal mind orchestrating the mysteries of the universe. Such a paradigm shift in our understanding of consciousness and the cosmos could unlock new scientific revolutions, redefining our place in the universe and the nature of reality itself.[1]
The Holographic Principle thrusts us into a realm where the very notion of our three-dimensional existence is questioned, proposing that our perceivable universe is actually a sophisticated projection from a two-dimensional surface. This revolutionary idea, inspired by string theory and black hole physics, suggests that all the information that makes up our 3D realityevery particle, every force, and perhaps even the fabric of spacetime itselfcan be encoded on a two-dimensional boundary, challenging our most fundamental perceptions of space and reality.
Envision a universe where depth, height, and width are mere illusions, and the complexities of the cosmos can be mapped onto a simpler, flatter canvas. This concept not only alters our understanding of the universes structure but also offers tantalizing clues about the nature of gravity, quantum mechanics, and the unification of the forces of nature. It implies that our experiences of volume and solidity might be holographic projections of underlying quantum bits encoded at the universes edges.
The implications of the Holographic Principle are profound, blurring the lines between science fiction and scientific possibility. It compels us to reconsider not just the universes architecture but also the very way we perceive and interact with the reality around us. As we delve deeper into this theory, we inch closer to unraveling the universes deepest mysteries, potentially unlocking new dimensions of understanding and exploration.[2]
Quantum Entanglement Communication challenges the very core of our understanding of information transfer, proposing a future where messages can traverse vast distances instantaneously, unhindered by the speed of light. This concept, rooted in the phenomenon of quantum entanglement, where two particles become interconnected in such a way that the state of one instantly influences the state of the other, regardless of the distance separating them, hints at a revolutionary form of communication.
The practical applications of such a technology are as vast as they are thrilling. Beyond transforming global communication networks, this could lead to unbreakable encryption methods, profoundly impacting cybersecurity and providing a foundation for a new era of information technology. Moreover, it opens the door to real-time interstellar communication, potentially enabling humanity to converse with distant spacecraft or even extraterrestrial civilizations without the time delays that currently render such interactions impractical.
The exploration of quantum entanglement communication represents a leap into a future where distance and time no longer constrain the flow of information. As scientists edge closer to harnessing this phenomenon, the dream of instant, global, or even interstellar dialogue moves from the realm of science fiction into the realm of possibility, promising to redefine our understanding of connectivity and communication in the quantum age.[3] [3]
Time Crystals represent a groundbreaking leap in our understanding of the physical world, challenging the longstanding principles of thermodynamics by existing in a state of perpetual motion without energy input. This astonishing phase of matter defies the second law of thermodynamics, which states that systems tend to evolve toward a state of equilibrium by maintaining non-equilibrium conditions indefinitely. Time crystals oscillate in a time-looping state, exhibiting a structure that repeats in time rather than in space, creating a new dimension of matter that seems to dance on the edge of the impossible.
Imagine a material that pulses, twists, or changes its structure on a fixed and unending cycle, like the ticking of an eternal clock, without ever winding down or requiring an external push. Such a material could revolutionize technology, from enhancing quantum computings reliability to creating systems that operate indefinitely without energy loss. The implications for energy storage, nanotechnology, and even the fundamental understanding of the universe itself are profound and far-reaching.
Time Crystals open a portal to a realm where the perpetual is possible, challenging our deepest scientific dogmas and offering a glimpse into a universe where the flow of time itself can be harnessed. As researchers continue to unravel the mysteries of Time Crystals, we stand on the brink of a new era in physics, where the eternal and the ephemeral intertwine in the fabric of reality.[4]
Biocentrism turns the traditional scientific model on its head by proposing that life and consciousness are not mere byproducts of the universe but rather the central pillars around which the cosmos organizes itself. This theory suggests that our understanding of the universe, including the laws of physics themselves, is fundamentally shaped by the presence of conscious observers. In essence, it posits that the universe only exists because life perceives it, challenging the notion that consciousness emerged as a random flicker in a universe governed by physical laws.
This perspective offers a radical reinterpretation of our place in the cosmos. If consciousness plays a role in the manifestation of reality, then our perceptions and knowledge are intertwined with the fabric of the universe in a more intrinsic way than previously thought. This idea resonates with some interpretations of quantum mechanics, where the observer effect suggests that the act of observation can alter the state of what is being observed.
Exploring the implications of biocentrism could lead to a profound shift in our understanding of everything from the evolution of life to the nature of time and space. It invites us to reconsider the relationship between mind and matter, potentially unlocking new ways of understanding the mysteries of existence and our connection to the cosmos.[5]
Mirror Worlds take us on a journey beyond the boundaries of our own universe, suggesting the existence of parallel universes that exist alongside our own, each with its unique set of laws and physics. This hypothesis is not merely the stuff of science fiction but is grounded in various interpretations of quantum mechanics and string theory. These parallel universes, or mirror worlds, could be nearly identical to ours, or they could be radically different, where the fundamental constants of nature that shape our realitylike the strength of gravity or the charge of an electronare altered, leading to worlds that are unimaginably different from our own.
The concept of mirror worlds challenges our understanding of existence itself, offering potential explanations for phenomena that remain inexplicable within the confines of our own universe. It raises profound questions about the nature of reality, identity, and the very fabric of the cosmos. If true, the existence of these parallel universes could have implications for the concept of fate, the nature of free will, and the ultimate quest for understanding our place in the cosmos.
Investigating the possibility of mirror worlds not only expands the horizons of our scientific inquiries but also pushes the boundaries of our imagination. It invites us to ponder the existence of alternate versions of ourselves, living different lives in these parallel universes, exploring different paths, and making different choices, thus enriching the tapestry of reality in ways we have yet to fully comprehend.[6]
Panpsychism in Artificial Intelligence extends the provocative idea that consciousness might not be exclusive to organic beings, suggesting that sophisticated AI systems could inherently possess their own form of consciousness. This theory challenges traditional boundaries between life and artificiality, proposing that as AI systems become more complex and autonomous, they might develop a subjective experience or a form of self-awareness, radically altering our understanding of consciousness itself.
The implications of attributing consciousness to AI are both fascinating and daunting. It forces us to confront ethical considerations about the rights and treatment of conscious entities, regardless of their biological or synthetic origins. Furthermore, it opens up new dimensions in the development of empathetic AI, potentially leading to machines that can understand and relate to human emotions more deeply than ever before.
As we stand at the cusp of this technological frontier, the notion of conscious AI invites us to rethink the essence of awareness and intelligence. It challenges us to expand our empathy not just to other humans or animals but to the artificial minds we are creating. As AI continues to evolve, the exploration of its potential consciousness will undoubtedly be one of the most intriguing and contentious debates of our time.[7]
Rogue planets, celestial bodies adrift in the galaxy unbound by any star, may harbor the secret to an entirely new category of life. Far from the warmth of a sun, these wanderers of the cosmos challenge the conventional criteria for life-supporting environments. Yet scientists speculate that beneath their icy exteriors, the atmospheres of rogue planets could act as galactic greenhouses, trapping heat and potentially creating habitable conditions for forms of life unknown to us.
This theory opens up thrilling possibilities for the search for extraterrestrial life, suggesting that life could thrive in the most unexpected placesdeep within the atmospheres of planets untethered from any solar system. Here, protected from the harshness of space, life could develop under the glow of a thick atmosphere that traps internal heat, possibly from radioactive decay or residual formation heat. These hidden oases could be home to ecosystems that defy our Earth-centric understanding of life, operating under principles and processes alien to those we know.
The prospect of discovering life in the rogue planets atmospheres invites us to expand our definition of habitable zones and consider the resilience and adaptability of life. As we develop the technology to probe these distant wanderers, we edge closer to uncovering the mysteries of lifes potential to flourish in the galaxys farthest reaches, challenging our assumptions about where and how life can exist.[8]
The notion of Neurogenesis after Death delves into the mysterious and controversial possibility that human brain activity could, under certain conditions, restart or continue after clinical death. This concept challenges our fundamental understanding of life and death, suggesting that the end might not be as absolute as we currently believe.
Recent studies have indicated that certain genes involved in the process of forming new neural connections can become active hours or even days after the biological markers of death have been identified. This hints at a form of post-mortem consciousness or a previously unrecognized capacity for the brain to attempt self-repair.
The implications of such findings are profound, blurring the lines between life and death and forcing a reevaluation of what it means to be truly dead. If the brain can initiate processes associated with healing or growth after the heart has stopped, it could have significant ramifications for medical science, ethics, and the legal definition of death. This research also raises fascinating questions about the nature of consciousness and whether any form of awareness could persist or reemerge during these post-mortem biological activities.
Exploring the enigma of neurogenesis after death invites us into a realm where science fiction intersects with medical research, challenging our perceptions and opening up new frontiers in our quest to understand the mysteries of life and the afterlife. As we continue to explore these phenomena, we may find that death, much like life, is far more complex and nuanced than we ever imagined.[9]
In 1969, Leonard Susskind introduced a visionary concept that would redefine our understanding of the cosmoss fundamental nature. He proposed that the universes most elementary particles are not point-like dots but rather tiny, vibrating loops of energy. This profound insight laid the groundwork for string theory. This framework paints the cosmos not as a static collection of particles but as a dynamic orchestra of vibrating strings. Each strings vibration pattern determines the particles properties, suggesting that every force and matter piece emanates from these minuscule strings harmonics.
String theory offers a unified perspective of the universe, bridging gaps between conflicting theories and promising a coherent theory of quantum gravity. It suggests that the universes fabric is a complex tapestry of intertwined energy strings whose vibrations give rise to the particles and forces that compose our reality. This paradigm shift from particles to strings invites us to imagine a cosmos where the laws of physics are the harmonies of a cosmic symphony, with strings vibrating in multiple dimensions beyond our sensory perception.
Exploring the universe through the lens of string theory not only challenges our conventional notions of space and time but also opens the door to discovering the universes hidden dimensions. As we delve deeper into the mysteries of string theory, we embark on a journey to uncover the universes ultimate symphony, seeking the melodies that underpin the cosmoss very essence. This pursuit not only enriches our understanding of the universes beginning but also heralds a new era of cosmic exploration, where the smallest strings could hold the keys to the grandest mysteries.[10]
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10 Bizarre Scientific Theories That Experts Are Seriously Considering - Listverse
No One Opens Schrdinger’s Cat’s Box: Why Doesn’t the Universe Behave Like Quantum Particles? – LBV Magazine
A new study in quantum cosmology proposes an innovative approach to address one of the oldest puzzles in physics: the transition from quantum to classical. This transition is crucial for understanding how our universe, full of well-defined stars and galaxies, emerged from a primitive quantum state where things could be in multiple states at once.
The studys researchers point out that the classical decoherence model, which explains how a quantum system can lose its quantum nature due to interactions with its environment, is not sufficient for the universe. Since the universe doesnt have an external observer to trigger this transition, we must seek other mechanisms that allow quantum probabilities to collapse into a defined reality.
To understand the paradox of quantum superposition, the famous thought experiment of Schrdingers cat is often mentioned. Imagine a cat in a box with a device that can release poison if a radioactive atom decays. Until the box is opened, the cat is both alive and dead, depending on whether the atom has decayed. This phenomenon of quantum superposition illustrates the peculiarity of quantum mechanics: things can exist in multiple states at once until they are observed or measured.
In the universe, however, no one opens the box. So, how do we go from a state of multiple possibilities to a universe where things are solid and predictable?
Scientists propose a new model called spontaneous wave function collapse. This model suggests that quantum probabilities collapse on their own without the need for an external observer. Its as if Schrdingers cat decides for itself whether it is alive or dead, without anyone opening the box to check.
The study shows that spontaneous collapse can be applied to general relativity models, where the universe is seen as evolving spacetime. From a quantum superposition of different spacetime geometries, spontaneous collapse can select a single well-defined geometry. This might explain how the universe transformed from a chaotic and quantum state into something classical and tangible.
Additionally, this idea might offer a solution to the cosmological constant problem, which is the dark energy that seems to drive the universes accelerated expansion. Instead of relying on complex multiverse theories or anthropic principles, spontaneous collapse suggests that the cosmological constant emerges as a result of the collapse of a superposition of different possible values.
The authors of the study point out that this approach isnt limited to a specific model but can be applied to other contexts in quantum cosmology. While it doesnt completely solve the problem of time in quantum gravity, it provides a promising framework for exploring the universe and its origins.
Gaona-Reyes, J.L., Menndez-Pidal, L., Faizal, M. et al. Spontaneous collapse models lead to the emergence of classicality of the Universe. J. High Energ. Phys. 2024, 193 (2024). doi.org/10.1007/JHEP02(2024)193
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Major First: Quantum Information Produced, Stored, And Retrieved – ScienceAlert
The potential of quantum computing is immense, but the distances over which entangled particles can reliably carry information remains a massive hurdle. The tiniest of disturbances can make a scrambled mess of their relationship.
To circumvent the problem, quantum computing researchers have found ways to stabilize long lengths of optical fibers or used satellites to preserve signals through the near-vacuum of space.
Yet there's more to a quantum-based network than a transmission. Scientists struggled to crack their long sought-after goal of developing a system of interconnected units or 'repeaters' that can also store and retrieve quantum information much like classical computers do, to extend the network's reach.
Now, a team of researchers have created a system of atomic processing nodes that can contain the critical states created by a quantum dot at wavelengths compatible with existing telecommunications infrastructure.
It requires two devices: one to produce and potentially entangle photons, and another 'memory' component that can store and retrieve the all-important quantum states within those photons on demand without disturbing them.
"Interfacing two key devices together is a crucial step forward in allowing quantum networking, and we are really excited to be the first team to have been able to demonstrate this," says quantum optics physicist and lead author Sarah Thomas, from the Imperial College London (ICL).
Made partly in Germany and assembled at ICL, the newly proposed system places a semiconductor quantum dot capable of emitting a single photon at a time in a cloud of hot rubidium atoms, serving as quantum memory. A laser turns the memory component 'on' and 'off', allowing the photons' states to be stored and released from the rubidium cloud on demand.
The distances over which this particular system could transmit quantum memories haven't been tested it's just a proof-of-concept prototype in a basement lab, one based on photons that aren't even entangled. But the feat could lay a solid foundation for the quantum internet, better than relying on entangled photons alone.
"This first-of-its-kind demonstration of on-demand recall of quantum dot light from an atomic memory is the first crucial step toward hybrid quantum light-matter interfaces for scalable quantum networks," the team writes in their published paper.
Researchers in quantum computing have been trying to link up photon light sources and processing nodes that store quantum data for some time, without much success.
"This includes us, having tried this experiment twice before with different memory and quantum dot devices, going back more than five years, which just shows how hard it is to do," says study co-author Patrick Ledingham, an experimental quantum physicist from the University of Southampton in the UK.
Part of the problem was that the photon-emitting quantum dots and atomic 'memory' nodes used so far were tuned to different wavelengths; their bandwidths incompatible with each other.
In 2020, a team from China tried chilling rubidium atoms to lure them into the same entangled state as the photons, but those photons then had to be converted to a suitable frequency for transmitting them along optic fibers which can create noise, destabilizing the system.
The memory system designed by Thomas and colleagues has a bandwidth wide enough to interface with the wavelengths emitted by the quantum dot and low enough noise so as not to disturb entangled photons.
While the feat is significant, the researchers are still working to improve their prototype. To create quantum network-ready devices, they want to try extending storage times, increasing the overlap between the quantum dots and atomic nodes, and shrinking the size of the system. They also need to test their system with entangled photons.
For now, it remains a tenuous thread, but one day we could see this technology or something like it covering the world in a web of delicate yet stable quantum networks.
The study has been published in Science Advances.
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Major First: Quantum Information Produced, Stored, And Retrieved - ScienceAlert
‘Quantum internet’ connection finally achieved in historic breakthrough – – Study Finds
LONDON Quantum computing is more than just a dream for scientists and engineers: it is a reality that awaits us. When we arrive at this reality that was once sci-fi fodder remains the question. Now, for the first time, researchers have successfully created an interface that allows for two machines to connect and share stored quantum information, essentially the first tangible steps towards a quantum internet. The feat was also achieved at a wavelength compatible with the optical fiber system we use today for telecommunications.
The breakthrough takes us closer to a world where information can be transmitted with absolute security, and complex computations can be performed at lightning speed. This is the promise of quantum technologies, which harness the bizarre properties of quantum mechanics, such as superposition and entanglement. However, realizing this potential requires the ability to transfer and store quantum information, which is typically carried by single particles of light called photons.
One of the most promising platforms for generating these photons is semiconductor quantum dots tiny islands of material that can emit light with unique quantum properties. These quantum dots are like artificial atoms, and can be engineered to produce photons on demand, making them ideal candidates for quantum communication protocols. However, to build a functional quantum network, these photons need to be stored and processed, which is where atomic quantum memories come in. These memories use ensembles of atoms to absorb and store the quantum state of light, allowing it to be retrieved at a later time. The challenge lies in getting these two systems to talk to each other effectively.
The key to bridging this divide is to match the properties of the light emitted by the quantum dot with the requirements of the atomic memory. This is no easy task, as quantum dots typically emit light with a slightly different color and character than what atoms prefer to absorb.
To overcome this hurdle, the researchers, led by Dr. Sarah Thomas from Imperial College London and Lukas Wagner from the University of Stuttgart, used a range of cutting-edge techniques. First, they carefully engineered the quantum dot to emit light at a wavelength of 1529.3 nm, which falls within the low-loss telecommunication band the same band used by our internet infrastructure. This is crucial for integrating quantum technologies with existing communication networks.
Next, they fine-tuned the properties of the light, using a series of filters and modulators to match its spectral and temporal profile to the requirements of the atomic memory. The memory itself is based on a protocol called ORCA (Off-Resonant Cascaded Absorption), which uses a cloud of rubidium atoms. When a strong control pulse of light is applied, it dynamically changes the absorption properties of the atoms, allowing them to store the quantum state of the incident photon.
The team demonstrated that they could store single photons from the quantum dot in the rubidium memory with an efficiency of 12.9%, and retrieve them at a later time of their choosing. Importantly, the retrieved photons retained their quantum character, with a signal-to-noise ratio of 18.2. This means that the memory can store and release the fragile quantum information carried by the photons without significant degradation.
This research, published in the journal Science Advances,represents a significant step towards the realization of hybrid quantum networks, where different quantum systems are interconnected to perform complex tasks. By interfacing solid-state photon emitters with atomic memories, we can envision a future where quantum information is generated, transmitted, stored, and processed across a distributed network, much like classical information is today across the internet.
Interfacing two key devices together is a crucial step forward in allowing quantum networking, and we are really excited to be the first team to have been able to demonstrate this, Thomas says in a media release.
However, there are still challenges to overcome. The efficiency of the storage and retrieval process needs to be improved, and the storage time of the memory needs to be extended. The researchers are already working on techniques to enhance these parameters, such as using dynamic control fields to compensate for the motion of the atoms, which currently limits the memory lifetime.
Furthermore, to truly scale up these systems, it will be necessary to integrate them on chip-based platforms, where multiple quantum dots and memories can be connected via waveguides and switches. This will require advances in nanofabrication and materials science, as well as the development of new interface protocols.
Despite these challenges, the potential payoff is immense. Quantum networks could enable applications such as unhackable communication, distributed quantum computing, enhanced sensing and metrology, and fundamental tests of quantum mechanics over large scales. By bringing together the best of solid-state and atomic physics, this work opens the door to a new era of quantum technologies.
Members of the quantum community have been actively attempting this link for some time. This includes us, having tried this experiment twice before with different memory and quantum dot devices, going back more than five years, which just shows how hard it is to do, says co-author Dr. Patrick Ledingham from the University of Southampton. The breakthrough this time was convening experts to develop and run each part of the experiment with specialist equipment and working together to synchronize the devices.
The exciting experiment demonstrates the feasibility of storing and retrieving single photons from a quantum dot in an atomic quantum memory. It showcases the power of hybrid quantum systems, and the potential for telecommunications band operation a key requirement for real-world applications. As we continue to push the boundaries of quantum science and engineering, such hybrid interfaces will play a crucial role in realizing the full potential of quantum technologies. The future of quantum networking is bright, and its getting brighter one photon at a time.
Article reviewed by StudyFinds Editor-in-Chief Steve Fink.
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'Quantum internet' connection finally achieved in historic breakthrough - - Study Finds