A collaborative effort in quantum research from scientists at The University of Leeds in the UK, Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany, and the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) has shed light on an elusive phenomenon that could help us understand the ‘vacuum state’ of our Universe, a press release said.
Most quantum research focuses on using quantum bits or qubits to advance computing capabilities in the near future. The collaboration used a quantum simulation in their experiments not to generate error-free computation data but to solve deep problems in theoretical physics, which involves understanding the state of our Universe and where it will ultimately end up.
Nearly five decades ago, scientists theorized that while our Universe appears stable, it is likely trapped in a false vacuum and could be on the verge of transitioning to a more stable, true vacuum state.
Jean-Yves Desaules, a postdoctoral fellow at ISTA who was involved in the work, compares this to a rollercoaster with multiple valleys but only one ‘true’ lowest state at the ground level. However, he also warned that quantum mechanics would eventually allow the Universe to reach its lowest energy or ‘true’ vacuum state, which would be a cataclysmic event.
“We’re talking about a process by which the Universe would completely change its structure. The fundamental constants could instantaneously change and the world as we know it would collapse like a house of cards,” added Zlatko Papic, a professor of theoretical physics at the University of Leeds.
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