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Scientists confirm quantum weirdness

the_recruit

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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150527103110.htm

A variation on the double-slit experiment in which the decision to measure the slits is made after the particle has passed through the slit. The decision appears to influence whether the particle passed through the slits as a definite particle or as a superposition, (ie appears to influence an event that already happened). Weird ****....
 
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150527103110.htm

A variation on the double-slit experiment in which the decision to measure the slits is made after the particle has passed through the slit. The decision appears to influence whether the particle passed through the slits as a definite particle or as a superposition, (ie appears to influence an event that already happened). Weird ****....

So it's all true, is it? Reality happens after we look at it. That should be an interesting point of discussion for religion and philosophy forums.
 
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150527103110.htm

A variation on the double-slit experiment in which the decision to measure the slits is made after the particle has passed through the slit. The decision appears to influence whether the particle passed through the slits as a definite particle or as a superposition, (ie appears to influence an event that already happened). Weird ****....

Apparently showing that reality does not exist until it is measured. That was part of quantum theory...but to have proven it in the lab...reality. does. not. exist. until. it. is. measured.

My brain hertz....
 
Apparently showing that reality does not exist until it is measured. That was part of quantum theory...but to have proven it in the lab...reality. does. not. exist. until. it. is. measured.

My brain hertz....

I don't agree with how he phrased that. Reality does exist, it just exists in a way that's very different than our intuitive macroscopic understanding of it.
 
Just a clarification:

In physics, a 'measurement' does not mean that there has to be some intelligent entity carrying out the act of measuring. Instead, a 'measurement' means any physical interaction between two physical entities (for example, the helium atom interacting with the detector). 'Common sense' laws still apply in the absence of an intelligent observer - but what this experiment shows is that that when physical interactions are also removed/limited, reality doesn't behave quite as 'common sense' dictates.

So no, the cat really is alive or dead but (probably) not both. But if you set up the conditions just right, you can get some impressive results
 
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The double slit experiment has always hinted that observation can change the behavior of matter/energy. Now they're observing matter/energy at a different time within the experiment and seeing the same results as before. It doesn't seem very significant to me.

The idea that observation can change the past seems to disagree with quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics requires absolute simultaneity in all frames of reference, which means events happen when they happen regardless of when (or even whether) they are actually observed. Einstein spent the last 20 years of his life trying to come up with a way to prove that the Moon exists even if nothing is observing it. Just because he couldn't, doesn't mean it doesn't.

I suspect that someday the double slit experiment will finally be explained in a way that actually makes sense, perhaps after we learn a bit more about dark matter and dark energy. Until then, yes the results of the experiment seem wacky, but when the explanation is even more wacky it's a good sign that something critical is still missing from the equation.
 
Well, if we are living in a computer simulation then it would make sense that such detail would not render unless it was "observed". :)
 
The double slit experiment has always hinted that observation can change the behavior of matter/energy. Now they're observing matter/energy at a different time within the experiment and seeing the same results as before. It doesn't seem very significant to me.

The idea that observation can change the past seems to disagree with quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics requires absolute simultaneity in all frames of reference, which means events happen when they happen regardless of when (or even whether) they are actually observed. Einstein spent the last 20 years of his life trying to come up with a way to prove that the Moon exists even if nothing is observing it. Just because he couldn't, doesn't mean it doesn't.

I suspect that someday the double slit experiment will finally be explained in a way that actually makes sense, perhaps after we learn a bit more about dark matter and dark energy. Until then, yes the results of the experiment seem wacky, but when the explanation is even more wacky it's a good sign that something critical is still missing from the equation.


To me, I think it comes from trying to define what exactly information is and how it translates from energy and matter, and more importantly, whether it is something we can even measure at all. Additionally whether information is bound by any physical limits.

Tim-
 
I don't agree with how he phrased that. Reality does exist, it just exists in a way that's very different than our intuitive macroscopic understanding of it.

But that's what the experiment showed. And the other experiment that really gets me is the one back in April that seemed to support the holographic principle, meaning that the information on the surface of the object is all one needs to be able to determine all the information inside that object.
 
Apparently showing that reality does not exist until it is measured. That was part of quantum theory...but to have proven it in the lab...reality. does. not. exist. until. it. is. measured.

My brain hertz....

A deterministic reality does not exist until measured. A probabilistic reality does.

We are just used to reality being deterministic, when it increasingly appears that is not the case.
 
Go home, universe. You're drunk.
 
So just think of what level of madness is happening when nobody is looking. As far as we can prove, reality literally is what is observed at any given time.
 
So just think of what level of madness is happening when nobody is looking. As far as we can prove, reality literally is what is observed at any given time.

I don't agree and I honestly think he used really bad words to describe what is happening.

just because I am not looking behind me doesn't mean reality doesn't exist. it absolute exists. I don't have to see with my eyes that it is going on.
I can hear, feel, smell what is going on.
 
I don't agree and I honestly think he used really bad words to describe what is happening.

just because I am not looking behind me doesn't mean reality doesn't exist. it absolute exists. I don't have to see with my eyes that it is going on.
I can hear, feel, smell what is going on.

Ok, thats fair. But how about the happenings of areas completely devoid of any observation? You can assume that nothin out of the ordinary is happening, but you can't really know. Some of this new quantum science is toeing the line with philosophy.
 
Ok, thats fair. But how about the happenings of areas completely devoid of any observation? You can assume that nothin out of the ordinary is happening, but you can't really know. Some of this new quantum science is toeing the line with philosophy.

On that we can make educated guesses until we can confirm.

however until that it can be observed we are taking it on faith that it will follow suit on other things that we have observed.
I agree that it is. which is a whole different topic.

However if this theory holds true. that is an if. it can really upset the nature of other theories that are based on non-observed.
 
But that's what the experiment showed.

Again, I don't agree. What the two slit experiment shows, if you accept the copenhagen interpretation, is that the particle doesn't exist in the discrete sense that we usually think of something existing as. Instead, the reality is, supposedly, a wave function, a superposition of all possible states - going through only the right slit, going through only the left slit, going through both slits simultaneously, and going through neither slit all simultaneously. It's existence is sort of smeared across all possibilities. It's not that there is no reality, it's that the reality isn't what we intuitively think it is.
 
On that we can make educated guesses until we can confirm.

however until that it can be observed we are taking it on faith that it will follow suit on other things that we have observed.
I agree that it is. which is a whole different topic.

However if this theory holds true. that is an if. it can really upset the nature of other theories that are based on non-observed.

But we're talking about what reality is when it's not being observed. You can't observe reality when it's not being observed....by definition.
 
But we're talking about what reality is when it's not being observed. You can't observe reality when it's not being observed....by definition.

that is like saying if I sit in a dark room with no senses that reality doesn't exist.
that is a inane unscientific saying.

it does exist and I am not in some void.
if you believe this then you are getting into more religion and philosophy than science.
 
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