Is gravity quantum?New experiment exploring the deepest mysteries of the universe

• Scientists are developing an experiment to test whether gravity is quantum
• In quantum mechanics, which describes the behavior of atoms and molecules, objects behave unlike anything we know: They can be in a quantum superposition of two places at the same time
• Now, scientists are working on a way to determine whether gravity works this way by suspending tiny diamonds in a vacuum.
• If gravity were quantum, it would “entangle” diamonds – an interesting phenomenon that tightly connects two objects in a way that’s not possible in everyday life
• This research will help deepen our understanding of black holes big Bangand the universe

Quantum gravity experiment

Scientists are developing an experiment to test whether gravity is quantum – one of the most profound questions about our universe.

General relativity and quantum mechanics are our two most fundamental descriptions of nature. General relativity explains gravity on large scales, while quantum mechanics explains the behavior of atoms and molecules.

The challenge of a unified theory

Arguably the most important unsolved question in fundamental physics is the right way to bring these two theories together—determining whether gravity works at the quantum level. While theoretical work suggests many possibilities, experiments are still needed to fully understand the behavior of gravity.

A revolutionary experiment in global alliances

For a hundred years, experiments on the quantum nature of gravity seemed out of reach, but now scientists from the University of Warwick, University College London, Yale University (USA), Northwestern University (USA) and the University of Groningen (Netherlands) will work together to investigate this problem.

Their new idea is to levitate two microdiamonds in a vacuum and put each into a quantum superposition of being in two places at once. This counterintuitive behavior is a fundamental feature of quantum mechanics.

Professor Morley’s insights into the experiment

Each diamond can be thought of as a smaller version of Schrödinger’s cat. Principal Investigator Professor Gavin Morley, Department of Physics, University of Warwickexplains: “Schrödinger’s cat was a thought experiment that pointed out that it would be very strange if everyday objects (and pets!) could be in a quantum superposition of two places at the same time. We wanted to test the limits of this idea.

“Atoms and molecules have successfully entered such superpositions, but we want to do this with much larger objects. Our diamond is composed of a billion or more atoms. To test the quantum nature of gravity, we will look for The interaction between two such diamonds due to gravity.

“If gravity is quantum, then it can entangle two diamonds together. Entanglement is a unique quantum effect in which two things are more closely connected than in our daily lives. For example, if two coins might be tangled together, then you might find that every time you flip them they land the same way, even though it’s impossible to know ahead of time whether they will be heads or tails.”

Challenges and Impact

There are still many challenges to realizing this idea, which the team will study during the project. “For example, we need to eliminate all interactions between nanoparticles except gravity, which is very challenging because gravity is so weak,” said Dr. David Moore. Yale University.

Professor Morley, founding director of the Warwick Quantum project, a new interdisciplinary program of research into quantum technologies, added: “For me, the most important question in physics at the moment is Develop an experiment that can test the quantum nature of gravity. This new project accelerates our exciting journey toward this goal.

Collaborating Scientists’ Perspectives

Professor Sougato Bose from University College London commented: “The importance for physicists of conducting experiments that explore the correct way to combine quantum mechanics and general relativity cannot be overstated. Studying quantum gravity theories such as string theory People usually focus on what happens at high energies, near black holes, and at the Big Bang.

“In comparison, our work takes place in a low-energy state on Earth, but it will also provide information about regardless Gravity is quantum. Furthermore, the experiment can be seen as validating the general predictions of any low-energy quantum theory of gravity. “

Professor Anupam Mazumdar from the University of Groningen added: “In the process of understanding the quantum nature of gravity, we may be able to test other aspects of fundamental physics, such as strange deviations from Newtonian gravity at short distances.”

“This is a challenging experiment, and this project is a pathfinder in solving some of the key technical challenges to make testing the quantum aspects of gravity a reality,” said Andrew Geraci, associate professor of physics. Northwest University.

The project is called “MAST-QG: Macroscopic Superposition Witnessing the Quantum Nature of Gravitation.”