Quantum systems don’t just transition between phases—they do so in ways that defy classical intuition.
A new experiment has directly observed these “dissipative phase transitions” (DPTs), revealing how quantum states shift under carefully controlled conditions. This breakthrough could unlock powerful new techniques for stabilizing quantum computers and sensors, making them more resilient and precise than ever before.
Quantum phase transitions: a new frontier.
Superconductivity, which entails an electrical resistance of zero at very low temperatures, is a highly desirable and thus widely studied quantum phenomenon. Typically, this state is known to arise following the formation of bound electron pairs known as Cooper pairs, yet identifying the factors contributing to its emergence in quantum materials has so far proved more challenging.
Researchers at Princeton University, the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Beijing Institute of Technology and the University of Zurich recently carried out a study aimed at better understanding the superconductivity observed in CsV₃Sb₅, a superconductor with a Kagome lattice (i.e., in which atoms form a hexagonal pattern that resembles that of Kagome woven baskets).
Their paper, published in Nature Physics, identifies two distinct superconducting regimes in this material, which were found to be linked to different transport and thermodynamic properties.
Based on a material view and reductionism, science has achieved great success. These cognitive paradigms treat the external as an objective existence and ignore internal consciousness. However, this cognitive paradigm, which we take for granted, has also led to some dilemmas related to consciousness in biology and physics. Together, these phenomena reveal the interaction and inseparable side of matter and consciousness (or body and mind) rather than the absolute opposition. However, a material view that describes matter and consciousness in opposition cannot explain the underlying principle, which causes a gap in interpretation. For example, consciousness is believed to be the key to influencing wave function collapse (reality), but there is a lack of a scientific model to study how this happens. In this study, we reveal that the theory of scientific cognition exhibits a paradigm shift in terms of perception. This tendency implies that reconciling the relationship between matter and consciousness requires an abstract theoretical model that is not based on physical forms. We propose that the holistic cognitive paradigm offers a potential solution to reconcile the dilemmas and can be scientifically proven. In contrast to the material view, the holistic cognitive paradigm is based on the objective contradictory nature of perception rather than the external physical characteristics. This cognitive paradigm relies on perception and experience (not observation) and summarizes all existence into two abstract contradictory perceptual states (Yin-Yang). Matter and consciousness can be seen as two different states of perception, unified in perception rather than in opposition. This abstract perspective offers a distinction from the material view, which is also the key to falsification, and the occurrence of an event is inseparable from the irrational state of the observer’s conscious perception. Alternatively, from the material view, the event is random and has nothing to do with perception. We hope that this study can provide some new enlightenment for the scientific coordination of the opposing relationship between matter and consciousness.
Keywords: contradiction; free energy principle; hard problem of consciousness; holistic philosophy; perception; quantum mechanics; reductionism.
Copyright © 2022 Chen and Chen.
face_with_colon_three A gasoline free future could be used for flying vehicles like cars, spaceships, homes, citywide generators, and really shows a kinda Star Trek and alien like future utopian world free of cancerous gases. It could make the world really clean and it would be perfect for spaceships.
This study reports the creation of a model thermodynamic engine that is fuelled by the energy difference resulting from changing the statistics of a quantum gas from bosonic to fermionic.
InnovativeTsinghua researchers proposed a reconfigurable quantum entanglement distribution network using siliconphotonics, reducing the required wavelength channels to O(N) and improving the scalability, reconfigurability, and performance of quantum technology.
More: bit.ly/3W9PvNx
💫 Meet the area of science that even Albert Einstein himself called “spooky”: quantum entanglement! 🤯
Classical physics is the force governing an extremely predictable world, where an apple set on a table stays there until something causes it to move again.
In the quantum world, not only can the apple end up on Mars, but, hypothetically, it could exist both on the table and on Mars at the same time. It could even be inextricably tied to another apple in some other part of the universe through entanglement. Thus, “reality” as we know it is much more uncertain, with the possibility for many solutions or outcomes to exist, rather than just one.
Quantum entanglement remains a spooky part of our world. Check out the resources below to learn more about how NASA scientists are working to unravel the mysteries of our quantum universe.
Quantum entanglement is a fundamental phenomenon in nature and one of the most intriguing aspects of quantum mechanics. It describes a correlation between two particles, such that measuring the properties of one instantly reveals those of the other, no matter how far apart they are. This unique property has been harnessed in applications such as quantum computing and quantum communication.
A common method for generating entanglement is through a nonlinear crystal, which produces photon pairs with entangled polarizations via spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC): if one photon is measured to be horizontally polarized, the other will always be vertically polarized, and vice versa.
Meanwhile, metasurfaces—ultrathin optical devices—are known for their ability to encode vast amounts of information, allowing the creation of high-resolution holograms. By combining metasurfaces with nonlinear crystals, researchers can explore a promising approach to enhancing the generation and control of entangled photon states.
A quantum processor solved a problem in 20 minutes that would take a supercomputer millions of years. A supercomputer then did a part of it in about 2 hours.
Scientists have achieved their initial goal of converting light into a supersolid material that unites solid-stage characteristics with those of superfluids. The discovery establishes paths toward studying uncommon quantum nature states of matter while carrying great implications for technological growth.
The matter form known as a supersolid behaves as both a solid and shows the properties of a superfluid. Despite keeping its rigid arrangement, the material demonstrates smooth flow while remaining non-frictional. Theoretical research on supersolids as a matter state has continued for decades since scientists first considered them in the 1970s. Through precise conditions, scientists believe materials can develop combined solid and superfluid properties to produce an absolute natural anomaly.
The discovery shows how particular materials become supple when exposed to exceptionally cold temperatures because they transition into a viscosity-free state. The dual properties of rigidness combined with fluidity create an extraordinary phase called supersolid in matter. Traditional materials possess two distinct states because solids maintain their shape, yet liquids possess free movement. Supersolids demonstrate behaviour beyond normal fluid-solid definitions because they exhibit features of both states.
