Scientists Use Quantum Mechanics to Simulate Time-Travel-like Effects, Study Says
In a groundbreaking study published in Physical Review Letters, scientists have demonstrated the ability to simulate time-travel-like effects using quantum mechanics. Although this does not involve real time-travel, it presents a unique method of altering the outcomes of experiments by modifying past actions.
The phenomenon is made possible through the property of entanglement, where two particles can be connected regardless of the distance between them. By manipulating one entangled particle, scientists can effectively change the behavior of its companion, even after the first particle has been used in an experiment.
Lead author David Arvidsson-Shukur, from the Hitachi Cambridge Laboratory, compares this process to sending a gift. In a typical scenario, the sender would need to know the recipient’s wish list in advance to ensure the right gift is chosen. However, using this chronology-respecting method, it becomes impossible to know the recipient’s wishes ahead of time. With the use of quantum entanglement manipulation, scientists can retroactively change their previous actions to achieve the desired outcome.
Although this simulation produces the appearance of time-travel, it is important to note that it occurs probabilistically. The effect has a 75% chance of failure, meaning it only works as intended one out of four times. This highlights the necessity of using a filter to identify the instances where it seems as though time-travel has occurred.
The need for a filter reaffirms the consistency of the laws of physics and the principles on which our understanding of the universe is based. If time-travel simulations were successful every time, it would challenge established theories, including relativity.
While this breakthrough does not enable actual time-travel, it opens up new possibilities for refining experiments after the fact. Scientists can send multiple entangled photons, using a filter to observe those that demonstrate the appearance of time-travel.
Co-author Nicole Yunger Halpern, a researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Maryland, explains the significance of this findings, stating, “The ability to retrospectively change outcomes has implications for various fields, including quantum computing, where the challenge is to harness uncertainty and make it work to our advantage.”
Although the effects of quantum time-travel simulations still need to be thoroughly explored, this study paves the way for further advancements in understanding quantum mechanics and its potential applications in various fields.