Quantum Trickery - Einstein's Strangest Theory

breckinshire writes "The New York Times is running an interesting story on Einstein's strangest theory. The theory was brought to light this past fall when 'scientists announced that they had put a half dozen beryllium atoms into a "cat state." [...] These atoms were each spinning clockwise and counterclockwise at the same time.' It is an interesting writeup for even the uninitiated and also concentrates on Einsteins role as a 'founder and critic of quantum theory.'"

Comments

Ah ha

[Auckerman]

This is just further proof that we are living in the Matrix. With each and every absurd observation, man is getting closer to the truth that we are the cat in the box.

They forgot one:

[Phariom]

"To a physicist, a "cat state" is the condition of being two diametrically opposed conditions at once, like black and white, up and down, or dead and alive."

Or something happy to have its tummy rubbed only to bite you seconds later.

Here's to the atom bomb

[ultracool]

"Most physicists agreed with Bohr, and they went off to use quantum mechanics to build atomic bombs and reinvent the world."

Why do they always have to use the atomic bomb as an example of the applications of quantum mechanics? It really gives it a bad name.

Quantum Enlightenment

[Macka]

It is typical in reporting on this subject to bounce from one expert to another, each one shaking his or her head about how the other one just doesn't get it.

Having pondered on this for a minute I've achieved a new state of Quantum Enlightenment. I both get it and don't get it, at the same time!

Re:Founder?

[labyrinth]

Planck, Heisenberg, Pauli, Dirac, Schrodinger and Einstein are each the single founder of quantum mechanics in different superimposed universes. It is impossible for us to find out in which of these universes we live without killing all the cats,