Daily Archives: December 29, 2021

Back in the 1920s, when the field of quantum physics was still in its infancy, a French scientist named Louis de Broglie had an intriguing idea.

In response to confusion over whether light and matter were fundamentally particles or waves, he suggested an alternative: what if both were true? What if the paths taken by quantum objects were guided by something that rose and fell like an ocean swell?

His hypothesis was the foundation of what would later become pilot wave theory, but it wasn't without its problems. So, like any beautiful idea that falters in the face of experiment, it swiftly became a relic of scientific history.

Today, the majority of physicists subscribe to what's referred to as the 'Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics', which, generally speaking, doesn't give precise locations and momentums to particles until they're measured, and therefore observed.

Pilot wave theory, on the other hand, suggests that particles do have precise positions at all times, but in order for this to be the case, the world must also be strange in other ways which led to many physicists dismissing the idea.

Yet something about De Broglie's surfing particles makes it impossible to leave alone, and over the past century, the idea continues to increasingly pop up in modern physics.

For some, it's a concept that could finally help the Universe make sense from the tiniest quantum particles to the largest galaxies.

To better understand what a pilot wave is, it helps to first understand what it is not.

By the 1920s, physicists were baffled by highly accurate experiments on light and subatomic particles, and why their behavior seemed more like that of a wave than a particle.

The results were best explained by a new field of mathematics, one that incorporated probability theory with the mechanics of wave behavior.

To theoretical physicists like Danish theorist Niels Bohr and his German colleague Werner Heisenberg, who set the foundations of the Copenhagen interpretation, the most economical explanation was to treat probability as a fundamental part of nature. What behaved like a wave was an inherent uncertainty at work.

This isn't merely the kind of uncertainty a lack of knowledge brings. According to Bohr, it was as if the Universe was yet to make up its mind on where to put a particle, what direction it should be twisting, and what kind of momentum it might have. These properties, he maintained, can only be said to exist once an observation has been made.

Just what any of this means on an intuitive level is hard to say. Prior to quantum physics, the mathematics of probability were tools for predicting the roll of a dice, or the turning of a wheel. We can picture a stack of playing cards sitting upside down on a table, its hidden sequence locked in place. Mathematics merely puts our ignorance in order while reality exists with 100 percent certainty in the background.

Now, physicists were proposing a flavor of probability that wasn't about our naivety. And that isn't as easy to imagine.

De Broglie's idea of a hypothetical wave was meant to return some kind of physicality to the notion of probability. The scattered patterns of lines and dots observed in experiments are just as they seem consequences of waves rising and falling through a medium, little different to a ripple on a pond.

And somewhere on that wave is an actual particle. It has an actual position, but its destiny is in the hands of changes in the flow of the fluid that guides it.

On one level, this idea feels right. It's a metaphor we can relate to far more easily than one of a dithering Universe.

But experimentally, the time wasn't right for de Broglie's simple idea.

"Although de Broglie's view seems more reasonable, some of its initial problems led the scientific community to adopt Bohr's ideas," Paulo Castro, a science philosopher at the University of Lisbon in Portugal, told Science Alert.

Eminent Austrian physicist Wolfgang Pauli, one of the pioneers of quantum physics, pointed out at the time that de Broglie's model didn't explain observations being made on particle scattering, for example.

It also didn't adequately explain why particles that have interacted with one another in the past will have correlating characteristics when observed later, a phenomenon referred to as entanglement.

For around a quarter of a century, de Broglie's notion of particles riding waves of possibilities remained in the shadows of Bohr's and Heisenberg's fundamental uncertainty. Then in 1952, the American theoretical physicist David Bohm returned to the concept with his version, which he called a pilot wave.

Similar to de Broglie's suggestion, Bohm's pilot wave hypothesis combined particles and waves as a partnership that existed regardless of who was watching. Interfere with the wave, though, and its characteristics shift.

Unlike de Broglie's idea, this new proposal could account for the entangled fates of multiple particles separated by time and distance by invoking the presence of a quantum 'potential', which acted as a channel for information to be swapped between particles.

Now commonly referred to as the de Broglie-Bohm theory, pilot waves have come a long way in the decades since.

"The new main hypothesis is that the quantum wave encodes physical information, acting as a natural computation device involving possible states," says Castro.

"So, one can have whatever superposition of states encoded as physical information in the tridimensional wave. The particle changes its state to another by reading the proper information from the wave."

Philosophically speaking, a theory is only as good as the experimental results it can explain and the observations it can predict. No matter how appealing an idea feels, if it can't tell a more accurate story than its competitors, it's unlikely to win over many fans.

Pilot waves fall frustratingly short of contributing to a robust model of nature, explaining just enough about quantum physics in an intuitive way to continue to attract attention, but not quite enough to flip the script.

For example, in 2005 French researchers noticed oil droplets hopped in an odd fashion across a vibrating oil bath, interacting with the medium in a feedback loop that was rather reminiscent of de Broglie's wave-surfing particles. Critical to their observations was a certain quantization of the particle's movements, not unlike the strict measurements limiting the movements of electrons around an atom's nucleus.

The similarities between these macro scale waves and quantum ones were intriguing enough to hint at some kind of unifying mechanics that demanded further investigation.

Physicists at the Niels Bohr Institute in the University of Copenhagen later tested one of the quantum-like findings made on the oil drop analogy based on their interference patterns through a classic double slit experiment, and failed to replicate their results. However, they did detect an 'interesting' interference effect in the altered movements of the waves that could tell us more about waves of a quantum variety.

In a remarkable act of serendipity, Bohr's own grandson a fluid physicist named Tomas Bohr also weighed in on the debate, proposing a thought experiment that effectively rules out pilot waves.

While null results and thought experiments hardly disprove the basic tenets of today's version of de Broglie-Bohm's pilot waves, they reinforce the challenges advocates face in elevating their models to a true theory status.

"The wave quantum memory is a powerful concept, but of course, there is still a lot of work to be done," says Castro.

It's clear there's an aching void at the heart of physics, a gap begging for an intuitive explanation for why reality rides wave-like patterns of randomness.

It's possible the duality of waves and particles has no analogy in our daily experience. But the idea of a wave-like medium that acts as some kind of computational device for physics is just too tempting to leave alone.

For pilot wave theory to triumph, though, physicists will need to find a way to pluck a surfer from its quantum wave and show the two can exist independently. Experimentally, this could be achieved by emitting two particles and separating one from its ride by measuring it.

"Then we make this empty quantum wave interfere with the wave of the other particle, altering the second particle's behavior," says Castro. "We have presented this at the first International Conference on Advances in Pilot Wave Theory."

Practically speaking, the devices required to detect such an event would need to be extremely sensitive. This isn't outside of the bounds of feasibility, but it is a task patiently waiting for an opportunity. Empty pilot waves might even hold the key for solving practical problems in quantum computation by making the waves less prone to surrounding noise.

Future physicists could eventually land on observations that open us to a Universe that makes sense right down to its roots. Should experiments detect something, it'll be a solid indication that far from empty, the heart of physics beats with a pulse. Even when nobody's watching.

All Explainers are determined by fact checkers to be correct and relevant at the time of publishing. Text and images may be altered, removed, or added to as an editorial decision to keep information current.

Link:

Could an Overlooked Quantum Theory Help The Universe Make Sense Again? - ScienceAlert

Laura E. ThomasContributor

Laura E. Thomas is the senior director of National Security Solutions at quantum sensing and computing company ColdQuanta. She is a former Central Intelligence Agency case officer and Chief of Base who built and led sensitive programs at CIA headquarters and abroad in multiple international assignments.

TheTechCrunch Global Affairs Projectexamines the increasingly intertwined relationship between the tech sector and global politics.

Quantum computers, sensors and communications networks have the potential to bring about enormous societal and market opportunities along with an equal amount of disruption. Unfortunately for most of us it takes a Ph.D. in physics to truly understand how quantum technologies work, and luminaries in the field of physics will be the first to admit that even their understanding of quantum mechanics remains incomplete.

Fortunately you dont need an advanced degree in physics to grasp the magnitude of potential change: computers that can help us design new materials that fight the climate crisis, more accurate sensors without a reliance on GPS that enable truly autonomous vehicles and more secure communications networks are just a few of the many technologies that may emerge from quantum technology.

The challenge of the quantum industry isnt ambition; its scale. Physicists know how to design useful quantum devices. The challenge is building larger devices that scale along with innovative business models. The confluence of talented physicists, engineers and business leaders tackling the problem is reason for much confidence. More private investors are placing bets on the technology. They cant afford not to we may look back on the commercialization of quantum and compare it to the steam engine, electricity, and the internet all of which represented fundamental platform shifts in how society tackled problems and created value.

More difficult than quantum physics, however, is getting the U.S. governments regulatory and funding strategy right toward the technology. Aligning various government entities to push forward an industry while navigating landmines of regulation, Byzantine government contracting processes and the geopolitical realities of both the threats and disruptions that quantum technology portends will be a challenge much greater than building a million-qubit quantum computer.

While this claim may be slight hyperbole, Ive now worked in both worlds and seen it up close and personal. As a former CIA case officer, even at the tip of the spear, Ive seen how slowly the government moves if left to its own devices. However, Ive also seen the value it can bring if the right influencers in the right positions decide to make hard decisions.

The government can help pave the pathway for commercialization or cut the industry off at its knees before it has a chance to run. The U.S. government needs a quantum commercialization strategy in addition to its quantum R&D strategy. We need to get out of the lab and into the world. To push the industry forward, the government should:

The U.S. government must inject more money more quickly into the commercial sector for these emerging technologies. This new technological era demands that we compete at a pace and scale that the government budgeting process currently is not built to handle. Smaller companies can move fast and we are in an era where speed, not efficiency, matters most in the beginning because we have to scale up before our geopolitical competition, which is directly pouring tens of billions of dollars into the sector.

When I was at the CIA, I often heard the words Acta non verba or deeds not words. In this case, the deeds are putting money on the table in the right ways, as well as not regulating the industry too early. Not everyone in senior U.S. government positions has to believe in quantums potential. I wouldnt blame them if they have some doubts this is truly beyond rocket science. But the smart move is to hedge. The U.S. government should make such a bet by pushing a commercialization strategy now. At the least it shouldnt stand in the way of it.

Originally posted here:

The US government needs a commercialization strategy for quantum - TechCrunch

By John Maruskin Almost the New Year. What will it bring? Librarians are not prognosticators, but they can offer resources that allow you to find your own direction, come to your own conclusions.

Heres a quartet of new books offering new perspectives on perennial questions from the origin of the Universe to the origins of words. They can be found in the New Nonfiction section at the front of the Library.

Fear of a Black Universe: An Outsiders Guide to the Future of Physics, by Stephon Alexander (call # 523.1 Alex). Stephon Alexander is a professor of physics at Brown University, the 2020 president of the National Society of Black Physicists, and an electronic jazz musician.In Fear of a Black Universe, he draws on ideas from relativity, quantum mechanics, and emergence to explore unconventional theories about the origins of the universe, life, and consciousness. He posits embracing perspectives of marginalized people will produce truly revolutionary insights in physics.

Abolition for the People: The Movement for a Future Without Policing and Prisons, edited by Colin Kaepernick (call # 364.6 Kaep). Over thirty essays from a diversity of voices presenting a vision of an abolitionist future in which communities can be safe, valued, and truly free.

A world, Kaepernick writes, grounded in love, justice, and accountability, a world grounded in safety and good health, a world grounded in meeting the needs of the people. He does not claim Abolition for the People will answer all social and political question. He hopes this book sparks questions that will open possibilities for a future in which everyone can thrive.

Rebugging the Planet: The Remarkable Things that Insects (and Other Invertebrates) Do-And Why We Need to

Love Them More, by Vicki Hird (call # 595.7 Hird). This book is about the benefits bugs provide for all life on Earth, including humans. Benefits like pollinating plants, feeding birds, defending crops and cleaning water systems.

Rebugging the Planet not only describes important ways insects keep life on Earth healthy, but also describes how individual home owners can contribute to sound local ecosystems by making their yardscapes more insect friendly.

The Cabinet of Linguistic Curiosities: A Yearbook of Forgotten Words, by Paul Anthony Jones (call #422.03 Jones). Offering a word a day along with astute etymologies and entertaining historical corollaries The Cabinet of Linguistic Curiosities provides joyful learning and great anecdotes for conversation.

For example, Muggle, the word for June 26, which entered contemporary parlance through Harry Potter books, meaning a person possessing no magical powers, has actually been in use since the 13th century as another name for fish tails, probably deriving from mugil, the Latin name for the grey mullet.

Theres a lot more where those books came from, The Clark County Public Library. Drop in.

Talk to a librarian. Enrich your perspectives in 2022.

Happy New Year.

Read more:

What's happening at the Library: Books for the Future and Words for Every Day of the Year - Winchester Sun - Winchester Sun

By Sarah Chen and Manfred Keil | Inland Empire Economic Partnership

We are approaching the end of 2021 with the threat of a European-like winter surge of the coronavirus and a renewed shut-down lingering, but lets focus on some positive experiences we have had this year.

Here are 21 good news items some of you experienced in 2021.

1. Despite the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the most severe post World War II recession, and the events surrounding Jan. 6, we still have a democracy to be proud of. The size and diversity of the voter turnout was remarkable. After an election that was certified by Congress in January, Joe Biden became the 46th president of the United States, and Californias Kamala Harris is the first Black female vice president.

2. Pfizer-Biontech and Moderna vaccines arrived in January. By now, 71.5% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated. In terms of the four most populous states, California is at 80.9%, New York shows 81.4%, Florida 73.2%, and Texas 65.5%. In the Inland Empire, 62% are fully vaccinated in Riverside County with 60% in San Bernardino County. Eventually, booster shots arrived and appeared to be effective against the omicron variant. Finally, 5- to 11-year-olds are getting vaccinated, thereby protecting themselves and the community.

3. Given the ranking of vaccinated individuals by state, California, not surprisingly, has the 12th lowest cumulative mortality rate from the coronavirus. Also California, and especially Southern California, has warmer temperatures during the winter months which will help contain infection and mortality rates at a relatively lower level.

4. In January 2021, the unemployment rate for the Inland Empire stood at 8.6%. The most recent number (from November) puts us at 5.4%. We continue to have lower unemployment rates than the state (6.9%) and Los Angeles County (7.1%). We are only 10,900 employees short of the employment level from the start of the coronavirus downturn. Despite talk of the Great Resignation, our labor force is actually 22,800 bigger. GDP grew solidly for the year, bouncing back to pre-recession levels. Jerome Powell was given another term as chairman of the Federal Reserve. The Other Services sector opened and we finally could get that tattoo we were waiting for.

5. The Indian Wells tennis tournament was played after a one-year hiatus and after moving from April to October. International travel was given a boost with the November opening to foreigners: the snowbirds from Canada can think about migrating to Palm Springs again.

6. The 2020 Olympics took place and the U.S. came out on top with 39 gold medals. Some old sports, like wrestling, were dropped, thereby joining previously discontinued croquet and tug-of-war. Others, like skateboarding, surfing, 3 on 3 basketball, sport climbing, and karate, made their debut. Sakura Kokumai of the U.S. placed fifth in womens karate, which made the black belt wearing co-author of this piece happy, having admired Kokumai at youth competition.

7. Universities and colleges mostly returned to in-person instruction, although it was announced last week that the early part of winter session for some colleges and universities will be done virtually again. But it has led to fewer Zoom connections with party lighting and strange posters on the wall, or roommates emerging from the shower behind us on-screen. K-12 schools returned to in-person instructions. We learned to appreciate teachers more, and realized that women still bear the majority of the burden when it comes to taking care of children part of why the downturn was labeled a she-cession.

8. We spent a lot of time watching foreign language TV shows, being fascinated by the Korean drama series Squid Games and rooting for No. 067 until the semifinals. The Red Light Green Light episode reminded us of the U.S. economy, which moved forward after the shutdown, but not all competitors (firms, workers) were still there after we recovered. Arcane, League of Legends first TV series, topped Netflixs charts for weeks a win for gamers.

9. Disneyland finally reopened, although access remains limited and international visitors are mostly missing. This nearly levels the playing field with Floridas Disneyworld, which opened earlier. We were able to go to the Hollywood Bowl again.

10. Halloween happened. Kids knocked on doors again in large numbers; seasonal candy sales were up almost 30% compared to last year.

11. Large crowds are again allowed to watch sports events. 42,275 mostly disappointed San Francisco Giants fans cried while leaving after Game 5 in Oracle Park. The German word Schadenfreude ranked highly on Google Trend in Los Angeles, especially among Dodgers fans.

12. The U.S. signed on to the Paris Climate Accord, which will hopefully mitigate the worst case climate scenarios. One of the authors is a resident of Alaska, and she is more concerned about permafrost and the number of polar bears declining than growing wine in Fairbanks.

13. Indoor dining opened up. Residents of Chicago may snicker at statements like its too cold to eat outside with temperatures in the low 60s, but it does feel good leaving the gloves at home while driving to our favorite restaurants. One of us recently invited a colleague from Boston to come and visit Southern California for some warmth and sunshine, but then rescinded by saying I am sorry, I forgot you cant come since Logan airport is closed due to an ice storm.

14. The government finally acknowledged U.F.Os: we are not alone in the universe at least in the U.S. The sheer number of out of space visitors clearly favors visits to our country. There is no fear of China overtaking us in Unidentified Aerial Phenomena sightings in the near future. Scientific American labeled it Completely Ridiculous Alien Piffle (CRAP).

15. The stock market, both in terms of the Dow Jones and the S&P 500, hit several new record highs, even late in the year. Related, the state of California is running a huge budget surplus. We are investing in gorillas r/WallStreetBets members rallied to raise $350,000 in donations and adopted more than 3,500 endangered gorillas in just six days.

16. Juneteenth was recognized as an official holiday, marking a national celebration of emancipation.

17. Big versus Small: Otis, the 2014 champion, reclaimed his title as the publicly recognized best Fat Bear in the annual Alaska Katmai National Park Fat Bear competition. We found one of the smallest lizards known to mankind, the Nano-Chameleon, barely larger than a fingernail.

18. We created the worlds first time crystal: a crystal that has order and perfect stability while breaking time-translation symmetry. This gets us closer to engineering computers which will be able to harness the power of quantum physics and thereby can perform computations of complexity not experienced to date.

19. Ontario International Airport celebrates its fifth year of local control. Passenger volume is 127% above the October 2020 level, and less than 2% short of the October 2019 numbers. We could see the first direct flight from ONT to Europe next summer.

20. Amoxicillin, a common human antibiotic, has a 95% success rate in treating stony coral a hopeful showing for coral reef loss. This may result in supply chain problems in providing medicine following wisdom tooth extraction.

21. Over 100,000 monarch butterflies migrated to California this year, up from 30,000 counted in 2019 and 2,000 in 2020. Note that they were smart by following the venture capital invested in California rather than emigrating to Texas where some of the firm headquarters, like Tesla, moved. Or perhaps they heard about the Texas power grid failure and Sen. Ted Cruz leaving 30-degree Houston for 80-degree Cancun to escape the FREEZING family home to be a good dad?

Lets look forward to 22 good news items next year, perhaps starting with we slayed the baby inflation dragon after the Fed raised interest rates three times.

The Inland Empire Economic Partnerships mission is to help create a regional voice for business and quality of life in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Its membership includes organizations in the private and public sector.

Manfred Keil is chief economist, Inland Empire Economic Partnership and director of the Lowe Institute for Political Economy, Claremont McKenna College.

Sarah Chen is research analyst, Lowe Institute, Claremont McKenna College.

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21 things to be thankful for in 2021 - San Bernardino County Sun