In a groundbreaking achievement, physicists at the world’s largest atom smasher, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), have observed two quarks in a state of quantum entanglement for the first time. This remarkable discovery, published in the journal Nature, involved the heaviest fundamental particle, the top quark, and its antimatter counterpart, entangled in a high-energy collision.
The observation was made by the ATLAS experiment, the largest detector at the LHC. This experiment meticulously tracks the tiny subatomic particles created when beams of particles collide at near light speeds. “While particle physics is deeply rooted in quantum mechanics, the observation of quantum entanglement in a new particle system and at much higher energy than previously possible is remarkable,” stated Andreas Hoecker, a spokesperson for the ATLAS experiment. “It paves the way for new investigations into this fascinating phenomenon, opening up a rich menu of exploration as our data samples continue to grow.”
Quantum entanglement is a bizarre phenomenon where two particles, even when separated by vast distances, share a connection so intimate that a change in one instantaneously affects the other. This concept, once dismissed by Albert Einstein as “spooky action at a distance,” has been confirmed by numerous experiments.
However, there are many aspects of entanglement that remain shrouded in mystery, particularly the entanglement of quarks. Quarks, the fundamental building blocks of protons and neutrons, cannot exist independently. They are always bound together to form composite particles called hadrons.
When individual quarks are forcefully extracted from hadrons, they become highly unstable and decay into jets of smaller particles in a process known as hadronization. This makes observing quark entanglement incredibly challenging.
To overcome these challenges, physicists at the LHC’s ATLAS and CMS detectors had to sift through billions of particle collisions, looking for specific decay products emitted at a distinct angle unique to entangled particles. After meticulous measurements and corrections for experimental effects, they observed entanglement between top particles with statistically significant results, confirming its authenticity.
Now that the entangled quarks have been observed, scientists are eager to study them further to uncover hidden secrets of the universe. “With measurements of entanglement and other quantum concepts in a new particle system and at an energy range beyond what was previously accessible, we can test the Standard Model of particle physics in new ways and look for signs of new physics that may lie beyond it,” said Patricia McBride, a spokesperson for the CMS experiment. This remarkable achievement opens up a new frontier in our understanding of the universe, offering the potential for groundbreaking discoveries in particle physics and beyond.
