The scientific award honors the work of researchers Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zilinger for their pioneering work in quantum physics
The experiments of these scientists refute, in part, Einstein’s postulates about the atomic world
Las ‘rules of the game’ that govern our reality do not always apply in the atomic world. A very illustrative example, as well as poetic, is what happens when two particleseven if they are far apart, behave as a single unit. The reason for this phenomenon, known as quantum entanglement, has fueled debate among scientists for decades. For this reason, this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics has decided to distinguish the work of three researchers who have achieved ‘decipher’ part of the mystery and who, in turn, have emerged as the ‘fathers’ of quantum information: Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser y Anton Zilinger.
BREAKING NEWS:
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2022 #NobelPrize in Physics to Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zeilinger. pic.twitter.com/RI4CJv6JhZ— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 4, 2022
According to the Nobel committee, the experimental work of these scientists has “laid the foundations for a new era of quantum technology“. “Being able to manipulate and manage quantum states and all their layers of properties gives us access tools with unexpected potential“, wields the panel of experts responsible for this award. In this sense, the findings could be used, one day, to build quantum computersbuild quantum networks and establish a more secure encrypted communication thanks, precisely, to quantum technology.
“I am very excited to see that the Nobel Prize for Physics has finally been awarded to fundamentals of quantum physics“, Explain Alba Cervera Lierta, expert researcher in quantum computing at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center and coordinator of Quantum Spain. “These findings led to the beginning of use quantum properties to develop new forms of communication and computing. In the words of the Physics Nobel committee: this is a Nobel that recognizes the power of quantum mechanics“, comments the expert in statements to the Science Media Center Spain.
The Nobels who disproved Einstein
The experiments of Aspect (France, 1947), Clauser (United States, 1942) and They are waiting (Austria, 1945) have marked a milestone in quantum physics. His experiments to demonstrate how particle entanglement occurs have also, paradoxically, achieved ‘disprove’ the postulates of one of the most famous physicists of all time: Albert Einstein. At the dawn of quantum theories, in fact, Einstein was horrified at the thought of a few particles that were intertwined at a distance. He defined the idea as a “creepy action” and pronounced the famous phrase of “God does not play dice” to show his rejection of the idea of quantum mechanics.
This year’s Physics Nobels, in a way, prove that Einstein was wrong. And that, indeed, the quantum world is governed by its own rules. One of the most striking works carried out by this year’s winners is that of Anton Zeilinger, who has not only achieved ‘taming’ entangled quantum states but, in addition, it has managed to demonstrate a phenomenon known as quantum teleportation: the possibility of moving a quantum state from one particle to another, no matter how far apart they are.
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The Physics award is the second to be awarded in this year’s Nobel season, which started without clear favorites and with wide criticism for the lack of women among the winners. Throughout the history of these awards, among the 221 winners in the area of Physics there are only four women scientists. In the previous edition, in this category the works of Syukuro Manabe, Klaus Hasselmann y Giorgio Parisi on “the science to understand the progress of the climate crisis” and other complex systems.
Tomorrow, Wednesday the 5th, the Chemistry Nobel Prizethe last purely scientific award of this Nobel season. Last year, the recognition went to researchers David MacMillan y Benjamin List for “the art of creating organic molecules”. The verdict will be announced from 11:45 (Spanish peninsular time). On the eve of delivery, the pools among the experts are still uncertain.