Tag: quantum
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IXPE Observations of a Magnetar May Capture a 90-Year-Old Quantum Prediction
Vacuum birefringence was first predicted by Werner Heisenberg in the 1930s. The idea holds that even a perfect vacuum is filled with virtual particles that alter the behavior of light. For nearly a century it has remained one of the most stubbornly unconfirmed predictions in quantum electrodynamics, with no direct observational evidence. The IXPE telescope…
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China’s Micius satellite sets distance record for quantum entanglement in space
A schematic shows how China’s Micius satellite could theoretically enable secure quantum communications. (SMOC Graphic) Chinese researchers report that they’ve set a new distance record for quantum teleportation through space, the phenomenon that Albert Einstein once scoffed at as “spooky action at a distance.” The technology isn’t yet ready for prime time, but eventually it…