THE HIDDEN COST OF KNOWING TIME IN THE QUANTUM WORLD
Quantum clocks were supposed to be ultra-efficient. But researchers just found out the real energy hog isn’t the clock - it’s you trying to read it.
In a new study, scientists built a quantum clock powered by single electrons hopping between two nano-sized zones. Each hop = one tick. Simple, right? But when they measured those hops using high-tech sensors, they burned up to a billion times more energy than the clock used to tick.
Let that sink in: observing time at the quantum level costs way more energy than keeping time. The moment you try to turn those quantum ticks into classical data? Boom - entropy skyrockets.
This shatters the old belief that measurement is cheap in quantum physics. Turns out, just watching the clock is what makes time irreversible - giving it a forward direction.
So if you’re dreaming of ultra-efficient quantum tech, don’t just build better clocks. Fix how we look at them.
Source: Physical Review Letters
QUANTUM PINBALL: SCIENTISTS FIND ELECTRONS THAT CAN’T MAKE UP THEIR MIND
Researchers just spotted a wild new state of matter where some electrons freeze in place while others zip around like chaos gremlins in a pinball machine.
It’s called a “generalized Wigner crystal” - think of it like electrons forming weird honeycomb patterns, but half of them decide they’d rather party than sit still.
This mix of frozen + free-flowing electrons could help power breakthroughs in quantum computing, spintronics, and futuristic tech that doesn’t suck up all your electricity.
Source: FSU News
95.67K
490
The content on this page is provided by third parties. Unless otherwise stated, OKX is not the author of the cited article(s) and does not claim any copyright in the materials. The content is provided for informational purposes only and does not represent the views of OKX. It is not intended to be an endorsement of any kind and should not be considered investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell digital assets. To the extent generative AI is utilized to provide summaries or other information, such AI generated content may be inaccurate or inconsistent. Please read the linked article for more details and information. OKX is not responsible for content hosted on third party sites. Digital asset holdings, including stablecoins and NFTs, involve a high degree of risk and can fluctuate greatly. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding digital assets is suitable for you in light of your financial condition.