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Category: quantum physics – Page 7

To learn more about the nature of matter, energy, space, and time, physicists smash high-energy particles together in large accelerator machines, creating sprays of millions of particles per second of a variety of masses and speeds. The collisions may also produce entirely new particles not predicted by the standard model, the prevailing theory of fundamental particles and forces in our universe. Plans are underway to create more powerful particle accelerators, whose collisions will unleash even larger subatomic storms. How will researchers sift through the chaos?

The answer may lie in . Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), Caltech, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (which is managed by Caltech), and other collaborating institutions have developed a novel high-energy particle detection instrumentation approach that leverages the power of quantum sensors—devices capable of precisely detecting single particles.

“In the next 20 to 30 years, we will see a in particle colliders as they become more powerful in energy and intensity,” says Maria Spiropulu, the Shang-Yi Ch’en Professor of Physics at Caltech.

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However, when photons are contained within structures that are smaller than their wavelength, these measures collapse into each other, and so the definition is of total angular momentum (TAM). It’s this feature, only occurring for photons confined in this way, that has now been entangled for the first time.

Researchers at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology used gratings to confine photons within a circular or spiral nanoscale platform and mapped their states, entangling the TAMs of pairs of photons before scattering them to free space. Entangling TAMs might seem like a minor development, seeing that SAMs and OAMs have each been entangled before, but the authors write: “We observe that entanglement in TAM leads to a completely different structure of quantum correlations of photon pairs, compared with entanglement related to the two constituent angular momenta.”

Quantum entanglement is considered key to quantum computing. The authors propose their work could lead to information processing conducted using the entangled TAMs of photons confined to chips. Entangling TAMs allows quantum processors based around photons to be smaller than would be possible if one of the properties that only emerges under less confined conditions was used. That potentially enables the miniaturization of future quantum computers.

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This book dives into the holy grail of modern physics: the union of quantum mechanics and general relativity. It’s a front-row seat to the world’s brightest minds (like Hawking, Witten, and Maldacena) debating what reality is really made of. Not casual reading—this is heavyweight intellectual sparring.

☼ Key Takeaways:
✅ Spacetime Is Not Continuous: It might be granular at the quantum level—think “atoms of space.”
✅ Unifying Physics: String theory, loop quantum gravity, holography—each gets a say.
✅ High-Level Debates: This is like eavesdropping on the Avengers of physics trying to fix the universe.
✅ Concepts Over Calculations: Even without equations, the philosophical depth will bend your brain.
✅ Reality Is Weirder Than Fiction: Quantum foam, time emergence, multiverse models—all explored.

This isn’t a how-to; it’s a “what-is-it?” If you’re obsessed with the ultimate structure of reality, this is your fix.

☼ Thanks for watching! If the idea of spacetime being pixelated excites you, drop a comment below and subscribe for more mind-bending content.

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Researchers have long recognized that quantum communication systems would transmit quantum information more faithfully and be impervious to certain forms of error if nonlinear optical processes were used. However, past efforts at incorporating such processes could not operate with the extremely low light levels required for quantum communication.

Now, a team at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has improved the technology by basing the nonlinear process on an indium-gallium-phosphide nanophotonic platform. The result is substantially more efficient than prior systems, meaning that it requires much less light and operates all the way down to single photons, the smallest unit of light. For the first time, there is a path forward to making with feasible.

“Our nonlinear system transmits quantum information with 94% fidelity, compared to the theoretical limit of 33% on systems using linear optical components,” said Kejie Fang, an Illinois professor of electrical and computer engineering and the project lead. “This alone demonstrates the power of quantum communication with nonlinear optics. The big problem to solve is efficiency. By using a nanophotonic platform, we saw the efficiency increase by enough to show that the technology is promising.”

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Scientists have created an ultra-thin light source that emits pairs of polarization-entangled photons. These specially correlated photons hold promise for future quantum technologies, including ultra-secure communication, powerful computation, and high-precision measurements. This light source is particularly small, pure, efficient, and versatile.

The research is published in the journal eLight.

Entangled photons share a unique connection. By measuring one photon’s properties, scientists can instantly determine the properties of its entangled partner, regardless of distance. This has the potential to revolutionize fields like communication, computation and metrology.

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This Deep Dive AI podcast discusses my book The Physics of Time: D-Theory of Time & Temporal Mechanics, an insightful exploration into one of the most profound mysteries of existence: the nature of time. As part of the Science and Philosophy of Information series, this book presents a radical reinterpretation of time grounded in modern physics and digital philosophy. It questions whether time is a fundamental aspect of reality or an emergent property of consciousness and information processing. Drawing on quantum physics, cosmology, and consciousness studies, this work invites readers (and listeners) to reimagine time not as a linear, absolute entity, but as a dynamic, editable dimension intertwined with the fabric of reality itself. It challenges traditional views, blending scientific inquiry with metaphysical insights, aimed at both the curious mind and the philosophical seeker.

#PhysicofTime #TemporalMechanics #DTheory #consciousness #DigitalPresentism #TimeFlow #EmergentTime #TimeTravel #ArrowofTime #SyntellectHypothesis

In this episode, we dive deep into The Physics of Time: D-Theory of Time & Temporal Mechanics by futurist-philosopher Alex M. Vikoulov. Explore the profound questions at the intersection of consciousness, quantum and digital physics, and the true nature of time. Is time fundamental or emergent? Can we travel through it? What is Digital Presentism?

The Physics of Time: D-Theory of Time & Temporal Mechanics by Alex M. Vikoulov is an insightful exploration into one of the most profound mysteries of existence: the nature of time. As part of the Science and Philosophy of Information series, this book presents a radical reinterpretation of time grounded in modern physics and digital philosophy. It questions whether time is a fundamental aspect of reality or an emergent property of consciousness and information processing.

The book introduces the D-Theory of Time, or Digital Presentism, which suggests that all moments exist as discrete, informational states, and that our perception of time’s flow is a mental construct. Vikoulov explores theoretical models of time travel, the feasibility of manipulating time, and the concept of the Temporal Singularity, a proposed point where temporal mechanics may reach a transformative threshold.

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Quantum computers promise to speed calculations dramatically in some key areas such as computational chemistry and high-speed networking. But they’re so different from today’s computers that scientists need to figure out the best ways to feed them information to take full advantage. The data must be packed in new ways, customized for quantum treatment.

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Scientists have achieved a major milestone in the quest to understand high-temperature superconductivity in hydrogen-rich materials. Using electron tunneling spectroscopy under high pressure, the international research team led by the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry has measured the superconducting gap of H3S—the material that set the high-pressure superconductivity record in 2015 and serves as the parent compound for subsequent high-temperature superconducting hydrides.

The findings, published this week in Nature, provide the first direct microscopic evidence of in hydrogen-rich materials and an important step toward its scientific understanding.

Superconductors are materials that can carry electrical current without resistance, making them invaluable for technologies such as energy transmission and storage, magnetic levitation, and quantum computing.

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