At a lab in the center of the University of California, Berkeley, just off Oppenheimer Way, the street named for the father of the atomic bomb, a team of physicists meticulously adjusts a sophisticated apparatus in the hunt for the elusive chameleon particle.
A hum of anticipation fills the air as they prepare to embark on an experiment that could unveil one of the Universes most profound mysteries: dark energy.
Assuming the Lambda-CDM model of cosmology is correct, dark energy represents nearly 70% of the total energy of the observable Universe and is the impetus behind its accelerated expansion. Yet, despite its vast influence, this mysterious force remains shrouded in mystery.
The first direct evidence for dark energy was discovered in 1998 by two teams of scientists led by Dr. Saul Perlmutter of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Dr. Brian P. Schmidt of Australian National University, and Dr. Adam G. Riess of John Hopkins University.
Through observations of distant supernovae, the researchers realized that the Universe was expanding at an ever-accelerating rate. This revelation won the three scientists the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics.
The acceleration is thought to be driven by dark energy, but what that dark energy is remains an enigma perhaps the greatest in physics today, the Nobel Prize announcement by The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences reads. What is known is that dark energy constitutes about three-quarters of the Universe. Therefore, the findings of the 2011 Nobel Laureates in Physics have helped to unveil a Universe that, to a large extent, is unknown to science. And everything is possible again.
Independent observations, including cosmic microwave background experiments and galaxy redshift surveys, have confirmed the existence of dark energy. Yet, twenty-six years after its initial discovery, the exact nature of dark energy remains perhaps the greatest enigma in physics.
Various theories have been proposed to explain its existence, including the possibility that dark energy could be the vacuum energy of space or a dynamic energy field called quintessence.
Another intriguing proposal is that dark energy is mediated by a yet-to-be-discovered exotic scalar particle that exerts a repulsive force depending on the surrounding matters density. This hypothetical particle, known as a chameleon particle or symmetron, would represent a fifth fundamental force of nature, much weaker than gravity.
In the emptiness of space, a chameleon particle would exert a repulsive force over long distances, driving the Universes accelerated expansion. However, the particles reach would be extremely limited on Earth, surrounded by matter. This would explain dark energys anomalous impact on the accelerated expansion of space.
Now, in the Holger Mller lab at UC Berkeley, physicists are breaking new ground to solve the mystery of dark energy. They have designed the most precise instruments to date, capable of measuring even the tiniest gravitational anomalies.
Detecting even minor deviations in the accepted theory of gravity would be a massive breakthrough, offering evidence for the existence of the hypothetical chameleon particle.
In recent experiments, physicists designed a new instrument that combines an atom interferometer for precise gravity measurements with an optical lattice to hold the atoms in place.
This setup allowed researchers to immobilize free-falling atoms for significantly more extended periods, enhancing the precision of their measurements by a factor of five compared to previous experiments.
By immobilizing small clusters of cesium atoms within a vertical vacuum chamber, the researchers could split each atom into a quantum state. Half of the atom is closer to a tungsten weight in this state, allowing scientists to measure the phase difference between the two halves of the atomic wave function. This process enables them to calculate differences in gravitational attraction with unprecedented accuracy.
In findings just published in Nature, researchers revealed that despite the revolutionary experimental design, results failed to show any deviations from Newtonian gravity.
Nevertheless, physicists are hopeful that with expected improvements in the precision of their new instrument, new and exciting possibilities will be opened for testing theories about the nature of dark energy, including the existence of the chameleon particle.
This new technologys ability to hold atoms for up to 70 seconds and potentially 10 times longer expands the possibilities of investigating gravity at the quantum level, explained Dr. Holger Mller, a UC Berkeley professor of physics and study co-author.
Previous experiments have well established the quantum nature of three of the four forces of nature: electromagnetism and the strong and weak forces. However, the quantum nature of gravity has never been verified.
Most theorists probably agree that gravity is quantum, Dr. Muller said in a release by UC Berkeley. But nobody has ever seen an experimental signature of that.
Its very hard to even know whether gravity is quantum, but if we could hold our atoms 20 or 30 times longer than anyone else, because our sensitivity increases with the second or fourth power of the hold time, we could have a 400 to 800,000 times better chance of finding experimental proof that gravity is indeed quantum mechanical.
This new experimental design can hold atoms in a quantum superposition of two states, each experiencing slightly different gravitational forces, allowing researchers to detect minute differences in gravitational attraction. This capability could eventually reveal the presence of the hypothesized chameleon particles or other unknown exotic phenomena related to dark energy.
In addition to its potential for discovering dark energy, the lattice atom interferometer designed by Mullers team holds promise for various applications, including quantum sensing.
This technology is particularly sensitive to gravity and inertial effects, making it suitable for building advanced gyroscopes and accelerometers. The optical lattices ability to hold atoms rigidly in place also makes it resilient to environmental imperfections or noise, which could allow for precise measurements in challenging environments, such as at sea.
Since 2015, Dr. Muller has searched for evidence of chameleon particles using an atom interferometer.
Atom interferometry is the art and science of using the quantum properties of a particle, that is, the fact that its both a particle and a wave. We split the wave up so that the particle is taking two paths at the same time and then interfere [with] them at the end, Dr. Mller explained. The waves can either be in phase and add up, or the waves can be out of phase and cancel each other out. The trick is that whether they are in phase or out of phase depends very sensitively on some quantities that you might want to measure, such as acceleration, gravity, rotation, or fundamental constants.
In initial tests using an atom interferometer and cesium atoms launched into a vacuum chamber to mimic the emptiness of space, Dr. Muller and his colleagues could observe the 10 to 20 milliseconds it took for atoms to rise above a heavy aluminum sphere.
In 2019, physicists at the Muller lab could observe the atoms much longer, up to 20 seconds, by adding an optical lattice and tungsten weight to increase the effect of gravity.
In another more recent experiment, published in the June 2024 edition of Nature Physics, postdoctoral fellow Cristian Panda and Dr. Muller demonstrated the ability to extend the hold time of atoms from 20 seconds to an astonishing 70 seconds.
The researchers achieved this remarkable feat by stabilizing a laser beam within the lattice atom interferometers resonant chamber and tweaking the temperature to less than a millionth of a Kelvin above absolute zero.
Though results have so far failed to show the existence of the chameleon particle, researchers say their repeated success in expanding the time to observe gravitational effects lays the groundwork for even more precise experiments.
Dr. Muller and his team are currently building a new lattice atom interferometer with improved vibration control and lower temperatures. This next-generation instrument is anticipated to produce 100 times more precise results than their recent experiments. This level of precision could be sensitive enough to finally detect the quantum properties of gravity.
As the researchers continue to push the boundaries, the potential discovery of dark energy feels tantalizingly close. Ultimately, these advancements at UC Berkeley represent a significant step forward in unraveling one of the Universes greatest mysteries and the true nature of dark energy.
Researchers say the successful demonstration of gravitational quantum entanglement would be a breakthrough comparable to the first demonstration of quantum entanglement of photons by the late Dr. Stuart Freedman and Dr. John Clauser in 1972.
In 2022, Dr. Clauser was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his part in proving the existence of quantum entanglement, a phenomenon Albert Einstein once famously described as spooky action at a distance.
Tim McMillan is a retired law enforcement executive, investigative reporter and co-founder of The Debrief. His writing typically focuses on defense, national security, the Intelligence Community and topics related to psychology. You can follow Tim on Twitter:@LtTimMcMillan. Tim can be reached by email:tim@thedebrief.orgor through encrypted email:LtTimMcMillan@protonmail.com
Continued here:
- Wolfram Physics Project Seeks Theory Of Everything; Is It Revelation Or Overstatement? - Hackaday [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- Elon Musk and Grimes Named Their Baby X A-12, Which Must Mean SomethingRight? - Esquire [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- Free Will Astrology - Week of May 7 | Advice & Fun | Bend - The Source Weekly [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- Free Will Astrology: May 6, 2020 - River Cities Reader [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- Is string theory worth it? - Space.com [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- Finding the right quantum materials - MIT News [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- Quantum Tunneling Effects, Solving the Schrodinger Equation Bottleneck Recognized as Best Papers by The Journal of Chemical Physics - PRNewswire [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- What Is Quantum Mechanics? Quantum Physics Defined ... [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- Quantum Physics Overview, Concepts, and History [Last Updated On: May 6th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 6th, 2020]
- Tisca Chopra: This time has given me time to think about time - Daijiworld.com [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2020]
- Iron-Based Material has the Ability to Power Small Devices - AZoNano [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2020]
- How Einstein Failed to Find Flaws in the Copenhagen Interpretation - The Great Courses Daily News [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2020]
- Raytheon Technologies Reports First Quarter 2020 Results; Greg Hayes Quoted - ExecutiveBiz [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2020]
- Unified Field Theory: Einstein Failed, but What's the Future? - The Great Courses Daily News [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2020]
- Einstein Vs. the New Generation of Quantum Theorists - The Great Courses Daily News [Last Updated On: May 7th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 7th, 2020]
- Why Self-Awareness and Communication Are Key for Self-Taught Players and Luthiers - Premier Guitar [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2020]
- Nine graduates head off to continue their higher educational pursuits - Nevada Today [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2020]
- 'The Theory of Everything' by Wolfram Gets Criticized by Physicists - Interesting Engineering [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2020]
- Cliff's Edge -- The Past Hypothesis - Adventist Review [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2020]
- Researchers Have Found a New Way to Convert Waste Heat Into Electricity to Power Small Devices - SciTechDaily [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2020]
- Quantum Computing Market New Technology Innovations, Advancements and Global Development Analysis 2020 to 2025 - Cole of Duty [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2020]
- Physicist Brian Greene on learning to focus on the here and now - KCRW [Last Updated On: May 10th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 10th, 2020]
- OK, WTF Are Virtual Particles and Do They Actually Exist? - VICE [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- Is the Big Bang in crisis? | Astronomy.com - Astronomy Magazine [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- Raytheon Technologies Board of Directors to Take Voluntary Compensation Reduction - PRNewswire [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- What part of 'public' does PSC not get? - The Bozeman Daily Chronicle [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- Exploring new tools in string theory - Space.com [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- The Era of Anomalies - Physics [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- Registration Open for Inaugural IEEE International Conference on Quantum Computing and Engineering (QCE20) - thepress.net [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- Exploring the quantum field, from the sun's core to the Big Bang - MIT News [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- The strange link between the human mind and quantum physics [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- quantum mechanics | Definition, Development, & Equations ... [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- Quantum Physics Introduction Made Simple for Beginners [Last Updated On: May 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 15th, 2020]
- Company Hopes to Have Carbon Nanotube COVID-19 Detector Available in June - SciTechDaily [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2020]
- The world is not as real as we think. - Patheos [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2020]
- Armin Strom Discusses Resonance With PhD Of Quantum Physics And Watch Collector In An Easy-To-Understand Way (Video) - Quill & Pad [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2020]
- Teaching the next generation of quantum scientists | Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Harvard School of... [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2020]
- Nasa discovers parallel universe where time runs backwards? Know the truth - Business Standard [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2020]
- Physicists Just Built The First Working Prototype Of A 'Quantum Radar' - ScienceAlert [Last Updated On: May 23rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 23rd, 2020]
- Next-Gen Laser Beams With Up to 10 Petawatts of Power Will Usher In New Era of Relativistic Plasmas Research - SciTechDaily [Last Updated On: May 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 26th, 2020]
- What does the Tenet title mean? Quantum mechanics and Einsteins theory - Explica [Last Updated On: May 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 26th, 2020]
- Looking up: UFO occupants and the legacy of language - Roswell Daily Record [Last Updated On: May 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: May 26th, 2020]
- This is the light they have discovered and according to scientists it should not exist - Checkersaga [Last Updated On: June 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 2nd, 2020]
- MIT Student Probing Reality Through Physics, Philosophy and Writing - SciTechDaily [Last Updated On: June 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 2nd, 2020]
- David Baddiel: Kids have a better sense of humour than they used to' - The Guardian [Last Updated On: June 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 2nd, 2020]
- Some Information Regarding Medical Physics - - KUSI [Last Updated On: June 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 2nd, 2020]
- Francesca Vidotto: The Quantum Properties of Space-Time - JSTOR Daily [Last Updated On: June 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 2nd, 2020]
- These 8 Books Have the Power to Change Your Perspective on Life - Morocco World News [Last Updated On: June 8th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 8th, 2020]
- Could Every Electron in the Universe Be the Same One? - Interesting Engineering [Last Updated On: June 8th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 8th, 2020]
- Armijo: The absolute power of love | VailDaily.com - Vail Daily News [Last Updated On: June 8th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 8th, 2020]
- Scientists predicted that the coronavirus death rate would fall over time, but instead it doubled. Here's why - Business Insider India [Last Updated On: June 13th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 13th, 2020]
- Sussex Uni physicist creates the fifth state of matter whilst working from home - The Tab [Last Updated On: June 13th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 13th, 2020]
- Beware of 'Theories of Everything' - Scientific American [Last Updated On: June 13th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 13th, 2020]
- Duckworth on Education: The Feynman Technique - EMSWorld [Last Updated On: June 13th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 13th, 2020]
- Scientists Discover Quantum Matter for the First Time in Space - Beebom [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2020]
- Physicists May Have Solved Long-Standing Mystery of Matter and Antimatter - SciTechDaily [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2020]
- Louis Broglie and the Idea of Wave-Particle Duality - Interesting Engineering [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2020]
- Letter reveals the quirky side of Albert Einstein - Chile News | Breaking News, Views, Analysis - The Santiago Times [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2020]
- Exploring the Quantum Field, From the Suns Core to the Big Bang at MIT - SciTechDaily [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2020]
- 10 of the best non-fiction science books to read right now - New Scientist [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2020]
- Quantum material research connecting physicists in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai facilitates discovery of better materials that benefit our society... [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2020]
- Flattening The Complexity Of Quantum Circuits - Asian Scientist Magazine [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2020]
- Borrowing from robotics, scientists automate mapping of quantum systems - News - The University of Sydney [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2020]
- Weird green glow spotted in atmosphere of Mars - Space.com [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2020]
- Why Gravity Is Not Like the Other Forces - Quanta Magazine [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2020]
- Cedar Hill grad pivots from science to law, determined to help others - The Dallas Morning News [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2020]
- The stories a muon could tell - Symmetry magazine [Last Updated On: June 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 18th, 2020]
- In the atmosphere of Mars, a green glow offers scientists hints for future visits - NBCNews.com [Last Updated On: June 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 18th, 2020]
- Birdsong offers clues to the workings of short-term memory - AroundtheO [Last Updated On: June 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 18th, 2020]
- Restructuring cybersecurity with the power of quantum - TechRadar [Last Updated On: June 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 18th, 2020]
- Researchers Use Richard Feynman's Ideas to Develop a Working 'Theory of Everything' - Interesting Engineering [Last Updated On: June 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 18th, 2020]
- Nano-motor of just 16 atoms runs at the boundary of quantum physics - New Atlas [Last Updated On: June 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 18th, 2020]
- 'Everything was centered around Sara, he was lost': Abhishek Kapoor on Sushant Singh Rajput after 'Kedarnath' - DNA India [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2020]
- Physicists have proposed a new theory for Bose-Einstein condensates - Tech Explorist [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2020]
- 8.13 and 8.14: Physics Junior Lab - MIT Technology Review [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2020]
- The Period of the Universe's Clock - Physics [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2020]
- If Wormholes Are Actually Going to Work, They'll Need to Look Weird - Yahoo! Voices [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2020]
- At Long Last: An Answer to the Mystery Surrounding Matter and Antimatter - SciTechDaily [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2020]
- Lost and found in French translation - The Guardian [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2020]
- Do we need a 'Quantum Generation'? | TheHill - The Hill [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2020]