A precision experiment using XENONnT has placed the strongest constraints yet on collapse theories, which propose wavefunction collapse is a real physical process. The analysis found no excess radiation from these models, significantly narrowing the range of viable parameters.
Researchers Connor Thompson and Samuel Morriss share the US$30,000 prize for proposing innovative experiments on viruses and skin as test subjects for quantum biology. Their essays present novel frameworks for studying 'quantum advantage' and its applications to life's quantum foundations.
The VIP-2 experiment, a highly sensitive test of the Pauli exclusion principle, found no evidence of its violation. The team set the strongest limits yet on possible violations involving electrons in atomic systems, constraining speculative theories beyond the Standard Model.
Researchers have shown that quantum collapse models, which challenge standard quantum theory, imply a fundamental limit on clock precision due to tiny intrinsic uncertainty in time. This means modern timekeeping technologies are entirely unaffected by such uncertainty.
Researchers use numerical relativity to probe the universe's biggest questions, including the Big Bang, cosmic inflation, and multiverse theories. The method allows for exploration of extreme situations beyond current mathematical limits.
The essay competition aims to expand on Schrödinger's fascination with the connections between quantum theory and biological processes. Entrants will explore questions such as whether life evolved the ability to make use of the counterintuitive properties of the microscopic world, and how this might relate to consciousness.
Researchers propose a new subset of string theories that incorporate dynamic tension could help describe the real universe without violating observational constraints. This approach may alleviate the 'swampland problem,' which has hindered conventional string theory's ability to reproduce inflation and dark energy.
Kuhn's 'landscape of consciousness' explores diverse theories of consciousness, including materialism, non-reductive physicalism, and quantum theories. The taxonomy is designed to examine their impact on ultimate questions like meaning, purpose, and value.
A team of physicists analyzed biophotons from lentil seeds to test if they play a role in plant information transport. Their statistical analyses support the emergence of plant 'intelligence', where biophotonic emission carries information for communication and cooperation among cells.
Physicists propose a refined way to test the validity of alternative quantum models, which offer a possible explanation for quantum-classical transition. The team found big differences with previous expectations for low-energy X-ray radiation, depending on atomic species and specific collapse model.
FQxI appoints Pinar Emirdag to its Board of Directors, leveraging her financial technology expertise to support paradigm-shifting research and promote equity in science. Emirdag brings over two decades of experience working with global regulators and academics.
Physicists search for signs of radiation produced by a violation of the Pauli exclusion principle, which determines electron arrangement in atoms. No evidence of violation has been found so far, ruling out some quantum-gravity models.
Researchers created an information engine using a glass bead suspended in water, exploiting thermal noise to convert it into work. The system uses Bayesian estimates to filter out measurement errors and performs significantly better than typical engines when noise is high.
The book delves into the concept of emergence in two domains: condensed matter physics and quantum gravity. It reveals surprising connections between seemingly disparate areas of physics, shedding light on how mysterious materials work and the origins of space and time.
Physicists have developed a 'master equation' to understand feedback control at the quantum level, enabling precise real-time control over quantum systems. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize quantum technologies by exploiting quantum effects and mitigating fragile system properties.
A series of FQXi-funded experiments deep under the Italian mountains failed to find evidence in support of a gravity-related quantum collapse model, undermining the feasibility of this explanation for consciousness. The team used an extremely sensitive cylindrical detector and reported no spontaneous radiation signals after running the...
Researchers discovered a novel connection between superposition and entanglement that goes beyond quantum theory, applicable to more exotic theories. This equivalence has practical implications for ultra-secure encryption, including popular protocols like BB84.
A new FQXi report re-assesses the 'fine-tuned universe' hypothesis, proposing that intelligent life could have evolved under drastically different physical conditions. This challenges popular arguments for a multiverse and suggests that the universe may be able to produce life under a wider range of circumstances than previously thought.