Thursday, October 11, 2012

Quantum Cats can Passively Detect Photons


So according to the Minute Physics guy and his video above, the nobel prize for physics was awarded to some dudes who figured out how to detect photons passively while Schrödinger's Cat... or something like that.  This is quite cool.  They are actually able to tell whether or not there is a photon in a very cold box by sending an atom in a superposition of two states through the box.  Quantum physics is such bizarre stuff that I really love when it gets used to solve a very specific and concrete problem, like is there a photon in that box over there.  Very interesting stuff and worthy of a Nobel Prize for Physics for Serge Haroche and David Wineland.  Nicely done.

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