QUANTUMZ?! IN MY NEWTONIAN PHYSICS???

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

So physicists at UCSB have created a 'large' system, ie something visible to the human eye and successfully produced results that are congruent with the laws of quantum mechanics.

The researchers demonstrated that, once cooled, the mechanical resonator followed the laws of quantum mechanics. They were able to create a single phonon, the quantum of mechanical vibration, which is the smallest unit of vibrational energy, and watch as this quantum of energy exchanged between the mechanical resonator and the qubit. While exchanging this energy, the qubit and resonator become "quantum entangled," such that measuring the qubit forces the mechanical resonator to "choose" the vibrational state in which it should remain.

In a related experiment, they placed the mechanical resonator in a quantum superposition, a state in which it simultaneously had zero and one quantum of excitation. This is the energetic equivalent of an object being in two places at the same time. The researchers showed that the resonator again behaved as expected by quantum theory.

We're still talking about something the size of a human hair... but after this many physicists now question if there is actually an 'upper limit' to the physical size of quantum entanglement or waveforms.

Here's the press release: http://www.ia.ucsb.edu/pa/display.aspx?pkey=2200
Here's the NPR story: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124820013


Still nothing on how it explains MAGJICKS, but it does provide some evidence that we may understand less about physics than we thought.

[LMNO]

I have complete assurance from a nationally-recognized physicist that we know FUCK ALL about physics.

But that's why they keep working at it.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

I have complete assurance from a nationally-recognized physicist that we know FUCK ALL about physics.

But that's why they keep working at it.

Amen! Though it will change my "Quantumz is not majik" argument some; since previously I predicated it on being a model of very tiny things which didn't seem to apply to the 'world of stuff we can see'.

[Doktor Howl]

I have complete assurance from a nationally-recognized physicist that we know FUCK ALL about physics.

But that's why they keep working at it.

Amen! Though it will change my "Quantumz is not majik" argument some; since previously I predicated it on being a model of very tiny things which didn't seem to apply to the 'world of stuff we can see'.

I will make that quark do what it's supposed to do.

Dok,
Quantum Mechanic.  May or may not be done on time, though.  Don't look over my shoulder while I'm working.

[LMNO]

DOK HOWL,
KOLLAPSING YR WAVE STATE.  WIFF A PIPE WRENCH.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

Dok, I think the problem is that the idiots were using metric!

[Doktor Howl]

DOK HOWL,
KOLLAPSING YR WAVE STATE.  WIFF A PIPE WRENCH.

Yeah, but you need a really small pair of tweezers to hold the bastards still while you whomp on 'em.

[LMNO]

I'd actually love to see a pic of you with a pair of needle-nose tweezers in one hand, and a ten-poung ballpeen hammer in the other, hunched over a microscope.

[Kai]

I'd actually love to see a pic of you with a pair of needle-nose tweezers in one hand, and a ten-poung ballpeen hammer in the other, hunched over a microscope.

..I may be able to arrange that...

[LMNO]

Welding goggles/mask optional, but suggested.