Spooky Physics Phenomenon May Link Universe's Wormholes

[n2doc]

By Charles Q. Choi,

Wormholes — shortcuts that in theory can connect distant points in the universe — might be linked with the spooky phenomenon of quantum entanglement, where the behavior of particles can be connected regardless of distance, researchers say.

These findings could help scientists explain the universe from its very smallest to its biggest scales.

Scientists have long sought to develop a theory that can describe how the cosmos works in its entirety. Currently, researchers have two disparate theories, quantum mechanics and general relativity, which can respectively mostly explain the universe on its tiniest scales and its largest scales. There are currently several competing theories seeking to reconcile the pair.

One prediction of the theory of general relativity devised by Einstein involves wormholes, formally known as Einstein-Rosen bridges. In principle, these warps in the fabric of space and time can behave like shortcuts connecting any black holes in the universe, making them a common staple of science fiction.

Intriguingly, quantum mechanics also has a phenomenon that can link objects such as electrons regardless of how far apart they are — quantum entanglement.

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http://www.livescience.com/41639-quantum-entanglement-links-wormholes.html

[Oscarmonster13]

1. very interesting...

bookmarking to read when I have some COFFEE in me!

[rwork]

2. Good one doc.

Very interesting.

[darkangel218]

3. Quantum entaglement and Quantum superposition explained:

Last edited Tue Dec 3, 2013, 05:58 PM - Edit history (1)

"Quantum entanglement is a physical phenomenon that occurs when pairs (or groups) of particles are generated or interact in ways such that the quantum state of each member must subsequently be described relative to the other.

Quantum entanglement is a product of quantum superposition. However, the state of each member is indefinite in terms of physical properties such as position,[1] momentum, spin, polarization, etc. in a manner distinct from the intrinsic uncertainty of quantum superposition. When a measurement is made on one member of an entangled pair and the outcome is thus known (e.g., clockwise spin), the other member of the pair is at any subsequent time[2] always found (when measured) to have taken the appropriately correlated value (e.g., counterclockwise spin). There is thus a correlation between the results of measurements performed on entangled pairs, and this correlation is observed even though the entangled pair may be separated by arbitrarily large distances.[3] Repeated experiments have verified that this works even when the measurements are performed more quickly than light could travel between the sites of measurement: there is no lightspeed or slower influence that can pass between the entangled particles."


http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_entanglement

Quantum superposition is a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics that holds that a physical system—such as an electron—exists partly in all its particular theoretically possible states (or, configuration of its properties) simultaneously; but when measured or observed, it gives a result corresponding to only one of the possible configurations (as described in interpretation of quantum mechanics).

Mathematically, it refers to a property of solutions to the Schrödinger equation; since the Schrödinger equation is linear, any linear combination of solutions to a particular equation will also be a solution of it. Such solutions are often made to be orthogonal (i.e. the vectors are at right-angles to each other), such as the energy levels of an electron. In other words, the overlap of the states is nullified, and the expectation value of an operator is the expectation value of the operator in the individual states, multiplied by the fraction of the superposition state that is "in" that state (see also eigenstates).

An example of a directly observable effect of superposition is interference peaks from an electron wave in a double-slit experiment.
...

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_superposition

[ZombieHorde]

4. I thought wormholes were theorized to be mostly about time,

as opposed to space, and that sci-fi stories made them more about space for convenience.

[PrestonLocke]

9. I was under the impression that space and time are one and the same. nt

[caraher]

10. They're not separable in an absolute sense, but they're not the same, either

Under Special Relativity, you can see a distinct difference between space and time in that when you calculate the spacetime interval between events, spatial coordinate differences enter with the opposite sign compared to the time coordinate.

The time and distance different observers measure between the same two events is observer-dependent, in contrast to Newtonian physics (in which time differences are the same for all observers). But you still measure time with clocks and distances with rulers either way.

I find it most fruitful to think in terms of what is the same for all observers. They may disagree on distances and times between events, but all will calculate the same "spacetime interval" from their combinations of distances and times.

[Th1onein]

5. This is really mind-boggling!

I hope to read more about this in the future.

[darkangel218]

6. K&R!

[Warpy]

7. That is absolutely fascinating

and while Einstein might have predicted wormholes, he was probably wrong about the scale. It's a tidy way to explain quantum entanglement, though.

[tridim]

8. Zero-point space = Zero

I've always thought that all zero-point space objects in the Universe are not only equal, but the same thing.