Alan Stonebraker/American Physical Society Posted on 12/04/2013 8:21:43 AM PST by Red Badger
Quantum entanglement, a perplexing phenomenon of quantum mechanics that Albert Einstein once referred to as “spooky action at a distance,” could be even spookier than Einstein perceived.
Physicists at the University of Washington and Stony Brook University in New York believe the phenomenon might be intrinsically linked with wormholes, hypothetical features of space-time that in popular science fiction can provide a much-faster-than-light shortcut from one part of the universe to another.
But here’s the catch: One couldn’t actually travel, or even communicate, through these wormholes, said Andreas Karch, a UW physics professor.
Quantum entanglement occurs when a pair or a group of particles interact in ways that dictate that each particle’s behavior is relative to the behavior of the others. In a pair of entangled particles, if one particle is observed to have a specific spin, for example, the other particle observed at the same time will have the opposite spin.
The “spooky” part is that, as past research has confirmed, the relationship holds true no matter how far apart the particles are – across the room or across several galaxies. If the behavior of one particle changes, the behavior of both entangled particles changes simultaneously, no matter how far away they are.
Recent research indicated that the characteristics of a wormhole are the same as if two black holes were entangled, then pulled apart. Even if the black holes were on opposite sides of the universe, the wormhole would connect them.
Black holes, which can be as small as a single atom or many times larger than the sun, exist throughout the universe, but their gravitational pull is so strong that not even light can escape from them.
If two black holes were entangled, Karch said, a person outside the opening of one would not be able to see or communicate with someone just outside the opening of the other.
“The way you can communicate with each other is if you jump into your black hole, then the other person must jump into his black hole, and the interior world would be the same,” he said.
The work demonstrates an equivalence between quantum mechanics, which deals with physical phenomena at very tiny scales, and classical geometry – “two different mathematical machineries to go after the same physical process,” Karch said. The result is a tool scientists can use to develop broader understanding of entangled quantum systems.
“We’ve just followed well-established rules people have known for 15 years and asked ourselves, ‘What is the consequence of quantum entanglement?’”
Karch is a co-author of a paper describing the research, published in November in Physical Review Letters. Kristan Jensen of Stony Brook, a coauthor, did the work while at the University of Victoria, Canada. Funding came from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
For more information, contact Karch at 206-543-8591 or akarch@uw.edu
Alan Stonebraker/American Physical Society
This illustration demonstrates a wormhole connecting two black holes.
First thing I thought of was “Have a Nice Day (in whatever part of the universe you may be)!” That picture would make a great t-shirt for geeks.
Simplest solution to the problem.
Regarding "at or slower than speed of light communication", like for reliable low-energy deep space or high-speed submarine communication, unfortunately the current understanding is that NO communication can be performed by shared quantum states. Supposedly the situation is like having two radio receivers - neither transmits.
I'm not a theoretical physicist, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn last night. (Well, actually I didn't do that, either.)
Only if you want to communicate a random bit-string. (Which is very useful as a key-agreement protocol for encrypting communication over more normal channels, which alas are limited to light-speed.)
It’s true, and unless the Roman version of Verizon existed, no towers to carry the signal.
Now, an electrical generator that ran on hybrid fuels would have been an interesting game changer.
There is evidence that the principles of electricity were understood to some extent prior to the Roman age.
The electric and magnetic components of an electromagnetic field are possibly just paired forms of time and space.
“The way you can communicate with each other is if you jump into your black hole, then the other person must jump into his black hole, and the interior world would be the same,” he said.
Jeez Louise!
I believe since about 1990 I have somehow been transferred to the goatee Spock universe.
Anyone know the way back?
Fascinating!
“The perfect communications method.”
Controlling the spin of one, would Make the other a receiver?
,,,-—,,,
Life is a tubewormhole,, I see..
Strange, the exit is the entrance and the lobby only has one door.
Interesting, separated by galactic distances.
‘Spooky action’ builds a wormhole between ‘entangled’ particles is to an actual working Stargate as DeVinci’s flight wings are to the SR-71?
‘What is the consequence of quantum entanglement?’”
A question best left to divorce attorneys.
Two entangled particles are communicating when something causes a change to one. I suspect that visitors from other star systems use such a system to communicate with home world. It would explain why we have yet to detect any electromagnetic signaling between same.
Not really, because FTL communication is still impossible using quantum entanglement.
[In a pair of entangled particles, if one particle is observed to have a specific spin, for example, the other particle observed at the same time will have the opposite spin. ]
That is a definite form of communication, 1/0. All you would have to do is 'modulate' the spin of one particle, then detect that opposite spin in the other particle. That opens up whole new possibilities in encrypted communications that is not possible to break........
This does not break the FTL rules of the universe, because nothing is traveling FTL...............
IIRC, the Baghdad batteries pre-date the Roman Empire.
“Or.... proof that with an almost infinite amount of particles in the Universe, it is possible to find particles that have ‘mirrored’ behavior.”
No, they actually create pairs of entangled particles in experiments, and then observe this behavior. They are not just taking one particle and searching for another in an analogous state.
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