For the First Time Ever, Scientists Caught Time Crystals Interacting

For the first time, scientists have observed an interaction of a rare and baffling form of matter called time crystals. The crystals look at a glance like “regular” crystals, but they have a relationship to time that both intrigues and puzzles scientists because of its unpredictability. Now, experts say they could have applications in quantum computing. Scientists only theorized the existence of time crystals starting in the 2010s, making this the state-of-matter equivalent of so-called ruby chocolate—is it really a new thing or just a special case of something else? (Sorry, ruby chocolate, we’re not convinced.) By 2015, researchers were outlining ways time crystals could exist, generalized as a “non-equilibrium form of matter”: “The team was investigating what happens when certain isolated quantum systems, made of a potpourri of interacting particles, are frequently prodded by shining a laser on them. Counterintuitive to conventional physics, which maintained that mayhem would ensue once the systems would heat up, the Princeton team’s calculations showed that under certain conditions, the particles would glue together to form a phase of matter with properties previously unseen.” Now, researchers say, they’ve collided two time crystals to see what happens next. [View in Browser]( [Popular Mechanics]( [SHOP]( [EXCLUSIVE]( [SUBSCRIBE]( [For the First Time Ever, Scientists Caught Time Crystals Interacting]( [For the First Time Ever, Scientists Caught Time Crystals Interacting]( For the first time, scientists have observed an interaction of a rare and baffling form of matter called time crystals. The crystals look at a glance like “regular” crystals, but they have a relationship to time that both intrigues and puzzles scientists because of its unpredictability. Now, experts say they could have applications in quantum computing. Scientists only theorized the existence of time crystals starting in the 2010s, making this the state-of-matter equivalent of so-called ruby chocolate—is it really a new thing or just a special case of something else? (Sorry, ruby chocolate, we’re not convinced.) By 2015, researchers were outlining ways time crystals could exist, generalized as a “non-equilibrium form of matter”: “The team was investigating what happens when certain isolated quantum systems, made of a potpourri of interacting particles, are frequently prodded by shining a laser on them. Counterintuitive to conventional physics, which maintained that mayhem would ensue once the systems would heat up, the Princeton team’s calculations showed that under certain conditions, the particles would glue together to form a phase of matter with properties previously unseen.” Now, researchers say, they’ve collided two time crystals to see what happens next. [Join Now & Read More]( [Why Owls Are a ‘Spirit Animal’ For Engineers Building Quieter Aircraft]( [Why Owls Are a ‘Spirit Animal’ For Engineers Building Quieter Aircraft]( Turbomachinery blades are loud, but stealthy fliers can lend a hand … er, wing. [Read More]( [Alternate text] [Alternate text] [10 Best Card Games to Keep Family and Friends Entertained]( [10 Best Card Games to Keep Family and Friends Entertained]( Keep the fun going strong with these hilarious games. [Read More]( [Umm Amazon Just Secretly Dropped 30 Percent Off AirPods Today]( [Umm Amazon Just Secretly Dropped 30 Percent Off AirPods Today]( Don't miss your chance to join the Pods crew. [Read More]( [Alternate text] [Alternate text] [These Rare Photos Reveal What the Inside of the Titanic Really Looked Like]( These Rare Photos Reveal What the Inside of the Titanic Really Looked Like]( From the smoking lounge to first-class bedrooms. [Read More]( [How an Underdog Drone Became a Folk Hero in Ukraine’s Guerrilla Air Force]( [How an Underdog Drone Became a Folk Hero in Ukraine’s Guerrilla Air Force]( The Bayraktar TB2 is fast becoming a legend as it punches above its weight in a war for national survival. [Read More]( [Alternate text] [Shop Popular Mechanics' Fire Starter products!]( Follow Us [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Notice/Notice at Collection]( PopularMechanics.com ©2022 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019