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Quantum Physicists Get Close To Absolute Zero

Posted by timothy on from the my-social-life-is-a-scientific-achievement? dept.

grasshopper69 writes: "At Rice University, a group of researchers have make a ground-breaking step towards more knowledge about absolute zero. One group of the atomic particles shrank and the other stabilized during the cooling, a quantum condition that simulates the same process that keeps dense cold stars from completely collapsing under their own intense gravity, according to this article at cnn.com."

2 of 10 comments (clear)

  1. Will this reduce decoherence? by quoll · · Score: 2
    This could have important ramifications for quantum computing. The biggest obstacle to quantum computing is decoherence as the particles encoding the quantum state interact with nearby particles. At temperatures this low the interaction is much, much less.

    Maybe we'll be able to build quantum computers sooner than we thought?

  2. This is not so cold. by Caid+Raspa · · Score: 2
    one-fourth of a millionth degree above the absolute zero.

    Well, one could get a lot closer. Currently, the Finns are holding the world record, and are below one billionth of a Kelvin.