Quantum Physics
![A pair of particles linked by quantum entanglement](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/urCn8zJwVgHMnoPBKk6wFD-320-80.jpg)
Enter the quantum realm with Live Science, where the regular rules of physics don't apply and objective reality doesn't exist. Quantum physics is a field of science in which researchers study energy and matter at their most fundamental level.
At Live Science, our expert writers and editors break down the most important and stunning quantum experiments, explain quantum cognition — the physics theory that could predict human behavior — and discover how physicists are making light move simultaneously forwards and backwards in time. So, if you're ready to explore the weird world of quantum mechanics, check out the latest news, features and articles about quantum physics.
Latest about Quantum Physics
![Largest gravitational wave observatory squeezes light beyond quantum limit.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/indMnRBNfStWFBxuabaBRa-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/indMnRBNfStWFBxuabaBRa-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/indMnRBNfStWFBxuabaBRa-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/indMnRBNfStWFBxuabaBRa-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/indMnRBNfStWFBxuabaBRa-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/indMnRBNfStWFBxuabaBRa-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/indMnRBNfStWFBxuabaBRa-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/indMnRBNfStWFBxuabaBRa-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
World's largest gravitational wave observatory squeezes light beyond the 'quantum limit'
By Ben Turner published
Researchers at the LIGO gravitational wave observatory used a new technique called frequency-dependent squeezing to boost weak signals above quantum noise.
![A yin-yang-like shape made of pink and green dots shows two particles in a state of quantum entanglement](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MbtmSRkQZB5sPGPrTP4R55-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MbtmSRkQZB5sPGPrTP4R55-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MbtmSRkQZB5sPGPrTP4R55-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MbtmSRkQZB5sPGPrTP4R55-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MbtmSRkQZB5sPGPrTP4R55-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MbtmSRkQZB5sPGPrTP4R55-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MbtmSRkQZB5sPGPrTP4R55-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MbtmSRkQZB5sPGPrTP4R55-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Quantum 'yin-yang' shows two photons being entangled in real-time
By Ben Turner published
The stunning experiment, which reconstructs the properties of entangled photons from a 2D interference pattern, could be used to design faster quantum computers.
![A black and white photograph of Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac. He has short dark hair, a moustache and is wearing a pin-striped suit. He is sitting down in a comfy chair, holding a book open in his lap.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B5YSrtSJSKcXt6nCybUGKh-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B5YSrtSJSKcXt6nCybUGKh-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B5YSrtSJSKcXt6nCybUGKh-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B5YSrtSJSKcXt6nCybUGKh-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B5YSrtSJSKcXt6nCybUGKh-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B5YSrtSJSKcXt6nCybUGKh-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B5YSrtSJSKcXt6nCybUGKh-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B5YSrtSJSKcXt6nCybUGKh-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
'The most magical equation in physics': How Paul Dirac accidentally revealed the strange world of antimatter
By Marcus Chown published
In this extract from the book 'The One Thing You Need to Know', author Marcus Chown explains how the Dirac Equation came to be.
![A telescope image of warped yellow starlight forming a smily face against a black background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EUyYqHTCYRzSTWHtFidZ8U-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EUyYqHTCYRzSTWHtFidZ8U-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EUyYqHTCYRzSTWHtFidZ8U-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EUyYqHTCYRzSTWHtFidZ8U-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EUyYqHTCYRzSTWHtFidZ8U-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EUyYqHTCYRzSTWHtFidZ8U-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EUyYqHTCYRzSTWHtFidZ8U-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EUyYqHTCYRzSTWHtFidZ8U-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Distortions in space-time could put Einstein's theory of relativity to the ultimate test
By Robert Lea published
Observing time distortions could show whether Einstein's theory of general relativity accounts for the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy.
![An artist's illustration of three Schrödinger's cats.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vuf5igZMPqPVM6DLPRtqcg-320-80.png 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vuf5igZMPqPVM6DLPRtqcg-450-80.png 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vuf5igZMPqPVM6DLPRtqcg-500-80.png 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vuf5igZMPqPVM6DLPRtqcg-650-80.png 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vuf5igZMPqPVM6DLPRtqcg-840-80.png 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vuf5igZMPqPVM6DLPRtqcg-970-80.png 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vuf5igZMPqPVM6DLPRtqcg-1024-80.png 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vuf5igZMPqPVM6DLPRtqcg-1200-80.png 1200w)
World's heaviest Schrödinger's cat made in quantum crystal visible to the naked eye
By Ben Turner published
Physicists have placed part of a sapphire crystal into a quantum superposition, making it the heaviest object to show quantum effects, in a new take on Erwin Schrödinger's famous cat experiment.
![A Hubble Telescope image of the galaxy cluster Cl0024+1654, showing red pinpricks of stars on a blue field of dark matter](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MQF8jyqhS8tGPSaF7dbvw7-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MQF8jyqhS8tGPSaF7dbvw7-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MQF8jyqhS8tGPSaF7dbvw7-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MQF8jyqhS8tGPSaF7dbvw7-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MQF8jyqhS8tGPSaF7dbvw7-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MQF8jyqhS8tGPSaF7dbvw7-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MQF8jyqhS8tGPSaF7dbvw7-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MQF8jyqhS8tGPSaF7dbvw7-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
There may have been a second Big Bang, new research suggests
By Paul Sutter published
Within a month of the Big Bang, a second cosmic explosion may have given the universe its invisible dark matter, new research suggests.
![Does reality exist when we're not looking?](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QdsiNvr4caWvLjDmUtTspK-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QdsiNvr4caWvLjDmUtTspK-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QdsiNvr4caWvLjDmUtTspK-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QdsiNvr4caWvLjDmUtTspK-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QdsiNvr4caWvLjDmUtTspK-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QdsiNvr4caWvLjDmUtTspK-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QdsiNvr4caWvLjDmUtTspK-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QdsiNvr4caWvLjDmUtTspK-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Does reality exist when we're not looking?
By Paul Sutter published
In quantum physics, particles exist in many states at once until you measure them. Can reality really work that way?
![Artist concept of the multiverse](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ijLpNngmJqgEXdBzCB72dN-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ijLpNngmJqgEXdBzCB72dN-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ijLpNngmJqgEXdBzCB72dN-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ijLpNngmJqgEXdBzCB72dN-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ijLpNngmJqgEXdBzCB72dN-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ijLpNngmJqgEXdBzCB72dN-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ijLpNngmJqgEXdBzCB72dN-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ijLpNngmJqgEXdBzCB72dN-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Do quantum universes really exist?
By Paul Sutter published
In some interpretations of quantum mechanics, such as the Many-Worlds interpretation or the Pilot Wave Theory, parallel universes may form every time a subatomic particle goes through any interaction.
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