Physicists Say They’ve Found The Origin Of Causality

Over the years, physicists have become increasingly enamored with “quantum weirdness,” the many strange features of quantum mechanics that are extremely hard to explain. In a new paper, a group of researchers have tried to cut through the weirdness by analyzing how causal order really works. By doing so, they hope to set up a deeper framework that can combine quantum mechanics with gravity. Let’s take a look.

Origin of Time Tested in Experiment With Mini-Universe

A physicist built a mini-universe out of cold atoms and used it to test where time comes from. It made big headlines a few weeks ago, and I almost skipped it, as most "universe in a lab" stories are nonsense. But then I actually read the paper. Let's take a look.

You probably misunderstand the double slit experiment

In today's video I talk about some commonly misunderstood points in the double slit experiment.

Physicists Just Broke One Of Quantum Physics’ Biggest Restraints

One of the biggest limitations of quantum quantum computing is the “no cloning” theorem, which says you cannot copy a quantum state without destroying the original. If you could copy quantum states without harming the original, much of the error-correcting complications in quantum computing could be avoided. Luckily, in a recent paper, physicists have demonstrated that there’s a way around the “no cloning” limitations. Let’s take a look.

Consciousness Comes From Quantum Processes, Physicist Claims

Since the early days of quantum physics, some scientists have believed that there’s a link between quantum mechanics and consciousness. While most researchers don’t think this idea holds water, a few have published papers about how phosphate molecules in the brain could link consciousness to quantum physics. Let’s take a look.

These Physicists Claim They Can Send Messages To The Past

When you try to combine quantum physics with Einstein’s theories, you quickly run into some pretty serious problems. The biggest is that causality – the order in which events occur – becomes uncertain as the rest of quantum physics. A group of physicists have leveraged that uncertainty, and are now claiming that they can send messages to the past using quantum mechanics. It’s not as crazy as it sounds. Let’s take a look.

Quantum physics is an unnecessary complication, researchers say

To this day, researchers don’t fully understand quantum physics. But in a new paper, physicists from MIT say that that’s okay – because the phenomena we use quantum physics to explain can actually be understood using classical physics. Really? Let’s take a look.

Quantum Physics Comes from Vacuum Energy, Scientists Prove

I have been alerted that the energy industry will soon be revolutionized by new technology to extract energy from the vacuum. If that sounds somewhat far-fetched, in a new paper a group of physicists deliver the maths to back up their claim. The wave-functions of quantum physics are really properties of the vacuum, proving that it is a kind of medium. I had a look at the paper.

These Physicists Say They Found The Origin Of Reality

One of the most perplexing questions in the foundations of physics is how our shared sense of reality emerges out of quantum mechanics. This is because in quantum mechanics, it seems, different observers can arrive at different conclusions about what is real and what not. A group of physicists now used an approach called “Quantum Darwinism” to solve this tricky problem. At least they say they solved it. I am not so sure. Let’s have a look.

Physicist Publishes Method For Communicating With Parallel Universes

In the many worlds theory of quantum physics, all possible outcomes of a quantum event occur, creating branching parallel worlds in which a different outcome is reality. According to a recently published paper, communication between those worlds should be possible under our current understanding of quantum physics. Sounds crazy? Let’s take a look.

Quantum Physics Can Change the Past, Physicists Show

Quantum physics works extremely well. It predicts experiments with absurd accuracy… but conceptually it’s a disaster. Here’s one example – in a recently published paper, physicists have come up with a quantum physics paradox that seems to show that we can change the past with quantum physics. Let’s take a look.

Why Quantum Computers might never work

Quantum computers have made a massive splash over the past years, with quantum computing projects racking up billions of dollars in private and public investment. But according to a small group of physicists, quantum computers will never scale to any meaningful level. Let’s take a look at their reasoning.

Surprise: Free Will Needs Quantum Physics to Fail, Physicists Show

Some physicists believe that human consciousness is somehow linked to the indeterministic element of quantum physics. But according to a surprising new argument that just appeared on the arXiv, a world where everything is ruled by quantum physics is incompatible with the idea of free will. Let’s take a look.

100+ Years Old Debate About Quantum Reality Settled With Experiment. Really?

In quantum physics, a wave function is a mathematical way to describe everything in the universe. But since quantum physics emerged, physicists have argued about whether or not the wave function is real. A group of physicists recently conducted a test of a theorem that describes the mechanics of the wave function, and they’ve told the press that they’ve settled the question: Yes, the wave-function is real. Let’s take a look.

Reality Doesn’t Need Complex Numbers, Physicists Prove

Complex numbers are created when you add a real number and an imaginary number (like “i”). These numbers are used throughout math and physics, notably in the Schrödinger equation, which is the key to quantum physics. In 2021, physicists published a paper claiming that you can’t entirely get rid of complex numbers in quantum physics, but two teams of physicists recently published papers disputing that claim. Let’s take a look.

New Experiment Explains Why We Don't See Quantum Effects Everywhere

We don’t see the effects of quantum physics outside the submicroscopic scale. That’s why your lunchbox can’t be in two places at once and cats aren’t dead and alive at the same time. But why, exactly, is this true? According to physicists who’ve recently published a paper on that question, the theory of Quantum Darwinism can answer it. Let’s take a look.

In which I lose faith in quantum computing

Quantum computing is one of the most anticipated new technologies on the horizon, with many quantum computing firms earning themselves billion-dollar valuations. In today’s video I explain why I strongly doubt that the technology will ever have a sensible return on investment.

Quantum Computers Could Test Free Will, Researchers Claim

In quantum physics, the idea that observed correlations between particles come from the way that the measurement device affects the particles is called a violation of “Measurement Independence” or “Superdeterminism.” The authors of a new paper claim that the more complicated one makes an experiment, the larger the violation of measurement independence must be to explain observations. They conclude that quantum computers can test free will. Wait what? I’ve had a look at the paper.

10 Quantum Myths, Debunked

I recently made a video about 10 physics myths, and a lot of you asked that I do another one about quantum myths in particular. Let’s take a look.

Did These Physicists Just Prove True Randomness?

A group of physicists claim they have proof that true randomness exists. This has implications for encryption protocols and computing, but (if true) would also indicate that the past does not determine the present. But are their findings actually legitimate? Let’s find out.