Do you remember those days when you’re in a video meeting and the internet is terrible?
Sometimes, we simply lower the video quality to hear the audio clearly.
Believe it or not, scientists use a similar technique, called “quantum squeezing”, to learn about the smallest particles in the universe!
The quantum world
Quantum physics is the science of the really, really small things, like atoms and particles we can’t see. In this world, things don’t behave like we’re used to.
For example, if you drop a ball, it will fall the same way every time. But in the quantum world, just measuring or looking at something can change it!
What is quantum squeezing?
In quantum squeezing, scientists adjust what they’re measuring to get clearer information about one aspect while accepting that another might be less clear.
Imagine you’re in a video call; if you need to hear better, you might lower the video quality, making the image blurry but the sound clear.
Scientists do something similar, where they ‘squeeze’ to get more precise information on either the amplitude (the strength or size of a wave) or the phase (the alignment or timing of a wave) of a quantum particle.
Why squeeze quantumly?
Quantum squeezing has huge potential. It helps to improve measurements of tiny properties of nature.
For instance, scientists use it to make atomic clocks. These are like super watches, so precise that if one had been running since the beginning of the universe, it would be off by less than a second today!
They’re crucial for things like GPS satellites to connect with devices on Earth. Scientists use quantum squeezing to reduce the noise, the disturbances that can affect these delicate measurements, to ensure the atomic clocks are precise.
Discovering the universe’s secrets
This technique also helps in studying far-off cosmic events. Scientists have used it to detect the waves made by two black holes colliding billions of light-years away.
By using quantum squeezing to get clearer information, scientists can understand more about the universe, detect signals we may be missing and uncover secrets of the cosmos.
Key Takeaways
Quantum squeezing is like tuning the radio to hear the music clearly amongst the static noise.
It’s a method used by scientists to explore the small and the vast, from the tiniest particles to the distant stars and black holes.
By focusing on what they need to know and ‘squeezing’ out the disturbances, scientists can make discoveries that help us understand more about the world and the universe we live in.
This might sound like something out of a science-fiction movie, but it’s real, and it’s helping scientists make fascinating discoveries about the universe we live in, from the smallest particles to the most distant stars, unlocking the mysteries of nature, one quantum squeeze at a time!
Follow us on Twitter for more articles about this topic.
