A groundbreaking experiment conducted by physicists in China has revealed that light particles can exist in 37 dimensions simultaneously, pushing the boundaries of quantum mechanics and challenging our understanding of the universe.
The experiment, detailed in the journal Science Advances, aimed to demonstrate the non-classical nature of quantum mechanics. This field studies the behavior of particles at the subatomic level, while general relativity describes large-scale phenomena in classical theory. The concept of "local realism" explains how events occur in a predictable order and form.
For decades, scientists have sought to unify these two theories, but research has shown that the differences between them are even greater than previously thought. The Chinese team investigated the extent to which quantum mechanics deviates from classical theory by conducting an experiment designed to demonstrate the Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) paradox.
The GHZ state, developed in 1989, describes an entangled quantum state involving at least three subsystems. This state predicts results that defy classical theory, such as mathematical impossibilities, including the calculation of 1 being equal to -1, leading to a paradox.
To demonstrate this paradox in a real-world setting, the researchers devised a method to generate photons capable of existing in 37 dimensions. They utilized laser light, quantum entanglement, and a photonic processor fabricated using optical fiber, marking a fundamental difference from humans, who exist in three spatial dimensions and one temporal dimension.
This experiment sheds light on various aspects of quantum theory at a deeper level. It suggests that quantum mechanics is even more "non-classical" than previously believed, raising new questions and opening avenues for future research.