Looking for a particular Quantum demo

[Steve922]

I've heard that there is an experiment/demonstration somewhere in the US where it is possible to observe the same object in two different places at the same time.

I'm not talking about theoretically or something requirng requirng miliions of bucks worth of equipment. I'm referring to an object big enough to be seen by the eye. Any ideas where or what this is?

My source was Dr Whacko Wolf in his 'Meet the real creator' book.

Steve

[Paxo]

Not heard of that one Steve, do you have any more details.

Steve..

[George Jones]

The double slit experiment with buckyballs?

[brianb]

You're not thinking of the two slit, single photon experiment - where a photon makes an interference pattern with itself, the only explanation being that it has to pass through both slits simultaneously?

[Steve922]

Nope, apparently, it is a physical object big enough to see with the naked eye.

Steve

[Steve922]

What are buckyballs?

Steve

[brantuk]

I shined a laser pointer through a cheese grater onto a piece of black card - nothing!! lol

[Paxo]

What are buckyballs?

Steve

It's a form of carbon which has a ball structure with a hexagon/pentagon structure similar to a "football", the most common form is C60. Their full name is Buckminster Fullerenes.

Steve..

[Steve922]

Oh, can't say I've seen them. How are they used in the double-slit experiment? Or was that a joke?

BTW, trawling the Internet I've found several references to planned experiments which might be a forerunner of the effect of this thread but nothing more concrete.

I've also found these which I'm not sure whether or not they fill the criteria. They seem to be announced to but I'm not sure. I'm kind of in both states at once - which of course is not possible :-)

First quantum effects seen in visible object - physics-math - 17 March 2010 - New Scientist

In two places at once: Strange world of quantum mechanics shown to work in visible world for first time | Mail Online

Steve

[Macavity]

Ah! And I also found some evidence of this guy...

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

Never seen before, but quite good fun perhaps!

[ollypenrice]

No idea what this is about but there is also the tantalizing Entangled Photons experiment where photons appear to communicate instantaneously.

I'm always banging on about time but that has to be the key. We have no decent theory of time. Past, present, future? An illusion! (or highly incomplete.)

Olly

[brianb]

Entangled Photons experiment where photons appear to communicate instantaneously.

"Appear" but don't actually do so. The "communication" is at the instant the photons are created - at the same point in space - travelling any distance (which you have to remember takes zero time as viewed by the photon) does not change the properties so, when you read out the state of one, you're automatically reading out the state of the other as well, however far it has travelled in the mean time. Alternatively you can think of the universe forking at the instant the entangled photons are created. Neither explanation requires "action at a distance".

[ollypenrice]

Ah but I thought the whole point was that until they are observed the photons have not 'decided' which one was which. It is a lot less bizarre if they have decided, so to speak, but we just don't know.

Olly

[Paxo]

Ah but I thought the whole point was that until they are observed the photons have not 'decided' which one was which. It is a lot less bizarre if they have decided, so to speak, but we just don't know.

Olly

You've hit the nail on the head Olly, so they exist in all scenarios (or at least have equal probability of doing so).

Steve

[ollypenrice]

But then again, thinking about Brian's point, no time elapses for a photon between the initial collision and Monsieur Aspect's observation of them. (I think it was Alain Aspect who did this experiment, was it?)

I'm stuck. Wish I was bright.

Olly

[brianb]

they exist in all scenarios (or at least have equal probability of doing so).

Yup. Just like Schrodinger's Cat being simultaneously alive & dead .... until you observe it & collapse the quantum state.

Intellectually I feel I understand quantum mechanics. Intuitively it's still ridiculuous. I'd be worried if it didn't seem to be so.

[ollypenrice]

Yup. Just like Schrodinger's Cat being simultaneously alive & dead .... until you observe it & collapse the quantum state.

Intellectually I feel I understand quantum mechanics. Intuitively it's still ridiculuous. I'd be worried if it didn't seem to be so.

I don't have a serious grasp of QM but somehow I feel that it might still be possible to achieve the grandest unification of all - QM with common sense! However, it has so far eluded everyone. I wonder if, with maybe a single additional insight of some kind, it might happen.

Olly

[Euan]

Yup. Just like Schrodinger's Cat being simultaneously alive & dead .... until you observe it & collapse the quantum state.

Intellectually I feel I understand quantum mechanics. Intuitively it's still ridiculuous. I'd be worried if it didn't seem to be so.

That reminds me I really need to read the book about that, although I'm a bit worried my head will explode

“If quantum mechanics hasn't profoundly shocked you, you haven't understood it yet.” - Niels Bohr

[Steve922]

I came across another reference to the object/demonstration which started this thread. It is mentioned by (I think) Brian Greene in 'What the Bleep do we know - the Movie" around 27 minutes from the start.

Anyone know yet where or what the places he refers to are?

Steve